Methods, systems, and devices for wireless communications are described. Generally, the described techniques provide for adapting or considering a receiver gain when using super-high order modulations for data transmissions. In one aspect, a network entity may transmit a tracking reference signal (TRS) in a first slot adjacent in time to a second slot allocated for one or more data transmissions associated with a high order modulation. A user equipment (UE) may receive the TRS and may adjust a receiver gain based on the TRS before receiving the one or more data transmissions associated with the high order modulation in the second slot. In another aspect, a UE may indicate (e.g., based on a receiver gain at the UE) a type of slot (e.g., shortened slot) or a maximum number of slots in which a network entity may transmit data transmissions with a high modulation order.