A method and apparatus can provide for signaling of a higher layer message. A higher layer message from a base station indicating to monitor a control channel using demodulation reference signals in a shortened transmission time interval in a subframe can be received. A first control channel candidate in the shortened transmission time interval can be attempted to be decoded, where the first control channel candidate comprises a first shortened control channel element spanning a first set of shortened resource element groups in a frequency domain using a first demodulation reference signal on a first antenna port, where a first precoder applies to all demodulation reference signal resource elements in the first set of shortened resource element groups. A second control channel candidate in the shortened transmission time interval can be attempted to be decoded.