A method of wireless communication by a relay node, comprising: attempting, at the relay node, to decode a plurality of first transport block portions of a transport block, wherein the plurality of first transport block portions are received on a first link in allocated resources according to a first encoding configuration; encoding, at the relay node, successfully decoded ones of the plurality of first transport block portions according to a second encoding configuration to define one or more second transport block portions, wherein the second encoding configuration is a same configuration as the first encoding configuration, and wherein encoding the successfully decoded ones of the plurality of first transport block portions according to the second encoding configuration comprises encoding according to at least one of a second resource allocation or a second rank that is the same as a corresponding one of at least one of a first resource allocation or a first rank of the first encoding configuration; mapping, at the relay node, the one or more second transport block portions to the second resource allocation; replacing, at the relay node, unsuccessfully decoded ones of the plurality of first transport block portions with blank resources in the second resource allocation, such that the transmission of a reference signal in a symbol of the blank resources is muted; and transmitting, from the relay node, the one or more second transport block portions on a second link according to the resource allocation, wherein the relay mode does not transmit any data in the blank resources in the second resource allocation. attempting, at the relay node, to decode a plurality of first transport block portions of a transport block, wherein the plurality of first transport block portions are received on a first link in allocated resources according to a first encoding configuration; encoding, at the relay node, successfully decoded ones of the plurality of first transport block portions according to a second encoding configuration to define one or more second transport block portions, wherein the second encoding configuration is a same configuration as the first encoding configuration, and wherein encoding the successfully decoded ones of the plurality of first transport block portions according to the second encoding configuration comprises encoding according to at least one of a second resource allocation or a second rank that is the same as a corresponding one of at least one of a first resource allocation or a first rank of the first encoding configuration; mapping, at the relay node, the one or more second transport block portions to the second resource allocation; replacing, at the relay node, unsuccessfully decoded ones of the plurality of first transport block portions with blank resources in the second resource allocation, such that the transmission of a reference signal in a symbol of the blank resources is muted; and transmitting, from the relay node, the one or more second transport block portions on a second link according to the resource allocation, wherein the relay mode does not transmit any data in the blank resources in the second resource allocation.