According to a method taught herein, a multi-branch communication receiver operates in a first mode wherein it despreads individual receiver branch signals with respect to all channelization codes of interest, if sufficient despreader resources are available for such operation. If the receiver estimates that sufficient despreader resources are not available, it operates in a second mode wherein it despreads one or more of the channelization codes from a branch combination signal formed from two or more of the receiver branch signals. The receiver may calculate optimal branch combining weights using an algorithm that maximizes a signal quality of the branch combination signal. A Generalized RAKE (GRAKE) receiver embodiment applies GRAKE detection to the individual receiver branch signals with respect to all channelization codes of interest if sufficient despreader resources are available and, if not, applies GRAKE detection to the branch combination signal for one or more such codes.