Techniques for serving cell activation and deactivation using reference signals

Methods, systems, and devices for wireless communications are described. A user equipment (UE) may be configured to receive, while the UE is in wireless communications with a first serving cell supported by a base station, an indication to activate or deactivate a second serving cell supported by the base station. The UE may receive a reference signal from the base station via the first serving cell, the reference signal received a duration of time after receipt of the indication, where the duration of time is an interruption period for the wireless communications with the first serving cell. The UE may then resume the wireless communications with the first serving cell based on the interruption period ending at receipt of the reference signal.