Certain aspects of the present disclosure provide techniques for determining default parameters to use in the absence of a signaled uplink transmission configuration indicator (TCI) state for uplink transmissions. In some cases, a UE may determine, based on one or more rules, at least one of a default uplink beam or default path loss reference signal (PL RS) to use an uplink transmission in the absence of a signaled uplink transmission configuration indicator (TCI) state for the uplink transmission; and send the uplink transmission in accordance with the determination.