diff --git a/amazon-kinesis-client/src/main/java/software/amazon/kinesis/lifecycle/ShardConsumer.java b/amazon-kinesis-client/src/main/java/software/amazon/kinesis/lifecycle/ShardConsumer.java
index 16dac30bc..b6e6dc1dd 100644
--- a/amazon-kinesis-client/src/main/java/software/amazon/kinesis/lifecycle/ShardConsumer.java
+++ b/amazon-kinesis-client/src/main/java/software/amazon/kinesis/lifecycle/ShardConsumer.java
@@ -174,26 +174,24 @@ public void executeLifecycle() {
             if (isShutdownRequested()) {
                 stateChangeFuture = shutdownComplete();
             } else if (needsInitialization) {
-                if (stateChangeFuture != null) {
-                    if (stateChangeFuture.get()) {
-                        // Task rejection during the subscribe() call will not be propagated back as it not executed
-                        // in the context of the Scheduler thread. Hence we should not assume the subscription will
-                        // always be successful.
-                        // But if subscription was not successful, then it will recover
-                        // during healthCheck which will restart subscription.
-                        // From Shardconsumer point of view, initialization after the below subscribe call
-                        // is complete
-                        subscribe();
-                        needsInitialization = false;
-                        // Initialization is complete, return now, because we dont need to do
-                        // initializeComplete anymore. ShardConsumer is in ProcessingState now and any further activity
-                        // will be driven by publisher pushing data to subscriber which invokes handleInput
-                        // and that triggers ProcessTask. Scheduler is only meant to do health-checks
-                        // to ensure the consumer is not stuck for any reason and to do shutdown handling.
-                        return;
-                    }
+                if (stateChangeFuture != null && stateChangeFuture.get()) {
+                    // Task rejection during the subscribe() call will not be propagated back as it not executed
+                    // in the context of the Scheduler thread. Hence we should not assume the subscription will
+                    // always be successful.
+                    // But if subscription was not successful, then it will recover
+                    // during healthCheck which will restart subscription.
+                    // From Shardconsumer point of view, initialization after the below subscribe call
+                    // is complete
+                    subscribe();
+                    needsInitialization = false;
+                    // Initialization is complete, we don't need to do initializeComplete anymore.
+                    // ShardConsumer is already in ProcessingState and any further activity
+                    // will be driven by publisher pushing data to subscriber which invokes handleInput
+                    // and that triggers ProcessTask. Scheduler is only meant to do health-checks
+                    // to ensure the consumer is not stuck for any reason and to do shutdown handling.
+                } else {
+                    stateChangeFuture = initializeComplete();
                 }
-                stateChangeFuture = initializeComplete();
             }
         } catch (InterruptedException e) {
             //