diff --git a/consumer.go b/consumer.go
index 9bd8d1820..61c9bc57a 100644
--- a/consumer.go
+++ b/consumer.go
@@ -839,10 +839,12 @@ func (bc *brokerConsumer) handleResponses() {
 		child.responseResult = nil
 
 		if result == nil {
-			if child.preferredReadReplica >= 0 && bc.broker.ID() != child.preferredReadReplica {
-				// not an error but needs redispatching to consume from prefered replica
-				child.trigger <- none{}
-				delete(bc.subscriptions, child)
+			if preferredBroker, err := child.preferredBroker(); err == nil {
+				if bc.broker.ID() != preferredBroker.ID() {
+					// not an error but needs redispatching to consume from prefered replica
+					child.trigger <- none{}
+					delete(bc.subscriptions, child)
+				}
 			}
 			continue
 		}