1. A method for programming non-volatile storage elements, comprising: acquiring a first set of programming conditions associated with a first set of memory cells to be programmed to one or more upper-level programming states, the first set of memory cells is in communication with a selected word line; acquiring a second set of programming conditions associated with a second set of memory cells to be programmed to one or more lower-level programming states, the second set of memory cells is in communication with the selected word line, the first set of programming conditions is different from the second set of programming conditions; initiating programming of the first set of memory cells to the one or more upper-level programming states using the first set of programming conditions; detecting a triggering event subsequent to the initiating programming of the first set of memory cells; and programming the first set of memory cells to the one or more upper-level programming states using the first set of programming conditions and the second set of memory cells to the one or more lower-level programming states using the second set of programming conditions during a common programming phase in response to the detecting a triggering event.