Techniques are provided for efficient peer-to-peer (P2P) service discovery and group formation, as well as maintenance of P2P session continuity. In one example, there is provided a method, operable by an originating user equipment (UE), that may involve transmitting a request for P2P service discovery and group formation assistance to a discovery server via a serving node over an air-interface channel. The method may involve receiving scoped information from the discovery server for participating in a P2P communication session, and establishing the P2P communication session with at least one terminating UE based at least in part on the received scoped information. The method may involve maintaining P2P communication session continuity by reverting to bearer signaling via a packet core.