Techniques and apparatus for selectively switching among two or more possible reference signal densities are disclosed. An example method comprises obtaining (110) one or more reference signal conditions that governs the density of the reference signal format to be transmitted by a wireless communication device in conjunction with data transmissions, where the one or more reference signal conditions are defined in advance of any scheduling of those data transmissions. The example method further comprises evaluating (120) the one or more reference signal conditions and selecting (130) a density of a reference signal format, from two or more possible densities, based on the outcome of the evaluation. In embodiments where the node that carries out the evaluation is the transmitting node, the method further comprises transmitting (140) one or more reference signals in conjunction with one or more data transmissions, in accordance with the selected reference signal density.