diff --git a/pkg/kafka/consumer/config.go b/pkg/kafka/consumer/config.go
index b48b6d2cc67..a561f79596c 100644
--- a/pkg/kafka/consumer/config.go
+++ b/pkg/kafka/consumer/config.go
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
 package consumer
 
 import (
+	"fmt"
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/Shopify/sarama"
@@ -68,7 +69,7 @@ func (c *Configuration) NewConsumer(logger *zap.Logger) (Consumer, error) {
 	saramaConfig.Consumer.Offsets.CommitInterval = time.Second
 	client, err := sarama.NewConsumerGroup(c.Brokers, c.GroupID, saramaConfig)
 	if err != nil {
-		logger.Panic("error creating consumer group client", zap.Error(err))
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("error creating consumer group client: %w", err)
 	}
 	return client, err
 }