Aspects of the present disclosure provide apparatuses, methods, and processes that can determine the number of concurrent hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) processes at a HARQ entity to facilitate efficient use of HARQ buffers and/or resources across different operating modes. An exemplary apparatus is configured to determine a number of HARQ processes based on a number of HARQ buffers, a maximum buffering time, and a slot duration. The apparatus maintains one or more HARQ processes at a HARQ entity up to the determined number of HAR processes and communicate with the one or more other devices utilizing the one or more HARQ processes.