Methods, systems, and devices for wireless communications are described. A user equipment (UE) may select a candidate pattern from a set of patterns for reference signals used to track phase error. The UE may transmit an indication of the selected pattern to a base station and receive, from the base station at least in part in response to the transmitted indication of the selected pattern, an indication of a configuration for the reference signals used to track phase error, the configuration indicating a pattern of the set of patterns, a number of reference signal groups, and a number of samples per reference signal group. The UE may receive the reference signals used to track phase error according to the indicated configuration.