Wireless device overheating protection and excessive energy consumption prevention/mitigation

A method implemented by a wireless device that is configured to communicate with a network node, the method comprising:

• detecting a condition related to one of energy consumption and overheating at the wireless device;
• in response to the detected condition, indicating one of a first number of sounding reference signal, SRS, ports and a first rank indicator, RI, value;
• the first number of SRS ports being less than an actual number of SRS ports usable by the wireless device for a first upcoming communication;
• and
• the first RI value being less than an actual RI value determined by the wireless device based on a first measurement.

A network node configured to communicate with a wireless device using a plurality of Multiple-Input Multiple-Output, MIMO, layers, the network node comprising:

• processing circuitry configured to:
• receive an indication of one of a first number of sounding reference signal, SRS, ports and a first rank indicator, RI, value, the first number of SRS ports being less than an actual number of SRS ports usable by the wireless device for a first upcoming communication, the first RI value being less than an actual RI value associated with a first measurement of the wireless device;
• and
• reduce a number of the plurality of MIMO layers for the first upcoming communication in response to the indication of one of the first number of SRS ports and the first RI value, the indication of one of the first number of SRS ports and the first RI value being associated with a condition related to one of energy consumption and overheating existing at the wireless device.