Methods, systems, and devices for wireless communications are described. The method may involve a user equipment (UE) utilizing beam sweeping during a random access procedure to determine an uplink beam for subsequent communication with a base station. The UE may transmit a first message indicating a random access preamble for a random access procedure and a plurality of reference signals using a set of directional beams. The base station may receive the reference signals or information related to the reference signals and transmit a second message indicating a directional beam of the set of directional beams and a set of resources. Upon receiving the second message, the UE may transmit the third message over the set of resources using the indicated directional beam.