diff --git a/data-prepper-plugins/kafka-plugins/src/main/java/org/opensearch/dataprepper/plugins/kafka/consumer/KafkaCustomConsumer.java b/data-prepper-plugins/kafka-plugins/src/main/java/org/opensearch/dataprepper/plugins/kafka/consumer/KafkaCustomConsumer.java
index 8aea91e50f..38daf566f5 100644
--- a/data-prepper-plugins/kafka-plugins/src/main/java/org/opensearch/dataprepper/plugins/kafka/consumer/KafkaCustomConsumer.java
+++ b/data-prepper-plugins/kafka-plugins/src/main/java/org/opensearch/dataprepper/plugins/kafka/consumer/KafkaCustomConsumer.java
@@ -70,9 +70,9 @@ public class KafkaCustomConsumer implements Runnable, ConsumerRebalanceListener
     private static final Long COMMIT_OFFSET_INTERVAL_MS = 300000L;
     private static final long IS_EMPTY_CHECK_INTERVAL_MS = 60000L;
     private static final int DEFAULT_NUMBER_OF_RECORDS_TO_ACCUMULATE = 1;
-    private static final ConcurrentHashMap<TopicPartition, Boolean> TOPIC_PARTITION_TO_IS_EMPTY = new ConcurrentHashMap<>();
-    private static Long topicEmptyCheckingOwnerThreadId = null;
-    private static long lastIsEmptyCheckTime = 0;
+    static final ConcurrentHashMap<TopicPartition, Boolean> TOPIC_PARTITION_TO_IS_EMPTY = new ConcurrentHashMap<>();
+    static Long topicEmptyCheckingOwnerThreadId = null;
+    static long lastIsEmptyCheckTime = 0;
     static final String DEFAULT_KEY = "message";
 
     private volatile long lastCommitTime;
@@ -557,8 +557,6 @@ public synchronized boolean isTopicEmpty() {
         for (TopicPartition topicPartition : topicPartitions) {
             final OffsetAndMetadata offsetAndMetadata = committedOffsets.get(topicPartition);
             final Long endOffset = endOffsets.get(topicPartition);
-            LOG.info("Partition {} offsets: endOffset: {}, committedOffset: {}",
-                    topicPartition, endOffset, Objects.isNull(offsetAndMetadata) ? "-" : offsetAndMetadata.offset());
             TOPIC_PARTITION_TO_IS_EMPTY.put(topicPartition, true);
 
             // If there is data in the partition
diff --git a/data-prepper-plugins/kafka-plugins/src/test/java/org/opensearch/dataprepper/plugins/kafka/consumer/KafkaCustomConsumerTest.java b/data-prepper-plugins/kafka-plugins/src/test/java/org/opensearch/dataprepper/plugins/kafka/consumer/KafkaCustomConsumerTest.java
index 8f2a4918f5..d36efb188b 100644
--- a/data-prepper-plugins/kafka-plugins/src/test/java/org/opensearch/dataprepper/plugins/kafka/consumer/KafkaCustomConsumerTest.java
+++ b/data-prepper-plugins/kafka-plugins/src/test/java/org/opensearch/dataprepper/plugins/kafka/consumer/KafkaCustomConsumerTest.java
@@ -68,6 +68,7 @@
 import static org.mockito.Mockito.mock;
 import static org.mockito.Mockito.times;
 import static org.mockito.Mockito.verify;
+import static org.mockito.Mockito.verifyNoInteractions;
 import static org.mockito.Mockito.when;
 
 @ExtendWith(MockitoExtension.class)
@@ -479,6 +480,12 @@ public void isTopicEmpty_OnePartition_IsEmpty() {
         final List<TopicPartition> topicPartitions = buildTopicPartitions(1);
 
         consumer = createObjectUnderTest("json", true);
+
+        // Reset the static variables
+        KafkaCustomConsumer.topicEmptyCheckingOwnerThreadId = null;
+        KafkaCustomConsumer.lastIsEmptyCheckTime = 0;
+        KafkaCustomConsumer.TOPIC_PARTITION_TO_IS_EMPTY.clear();
+
         when(kafkaConsumer.partitionsFor(TOPIC_NAME)).thenReturn(List.of(partitionInfo));
         when(partitionInfo.partition()).thenReturn(0);
         when(kafkaConsumer.committed(anySet())).thenReturn(getTopicPartitionToMap(topicPartitions, offsetAndMetadata));
@@ -500,6 +507,12 @@ public void isTopicEmpty_OnePartition_PartitionNeverHadData() {
         final List<TopicPartition> topicPartitions = buildTopicPartitions(1);
 
         consumer = createObjectUnderTest("json", true);
+
+        // Reset the static variables
+        KafkaCustomConsumer.topicEmptyCheckingOwnerThreadId = null;
+        KafkaCustomConsumer.lastIsEmptyCheckTime = 0;
+        KafkaCustomConsumer.TOPIC_PARTITION_TO_IS_EMPTY.clear();
+
         when(kafkaConsumer.partitionsFor(TOPIC_NAME)).thenReturn(List.of(partitionInfo));
         when(partitionInfo.partition()).thenReturn(0);
         when(kafkaConsumer.committed(anySet())).thenReturn(getTopicPartitionToMap(topicPartitions, offsetAndMetadata));
@@ -520,6 +533,12 @@ public void isTopicEmpty_OnePartition_IsNotEmpty() {
         final List<TopicPartition> topicPartitions = buildTopicPartitions(1);
 
         consumer = createObjectUnderTest("json", true);
+
+        // Reset the static variables
+        KafkaCustomConsumer.topicEmptyCheckingOwnerThreadId = null;
+        KafkaCustomConsumer.lastIsEmptyCheckTime = 0;
+        KafkaCustomConsumer.TOPIC_PARTITION_TO_IS_EMPTY.clear();
+
         when(kafkaConsumer.partitionsFor(TOPIC_NAME)).thenReturn(List.of(partitionInfo));
         when(partitionInfo.partition()).thenReturn(0);
         when(kafkaConsumer.committed(anySet())).thenReturn(getTopicPartitionToMap(topicPartitions, offsetAndMetadata));
@@ -541,6 +560,12 @@ public void isTopicEmpty_OnePartition_NoCommittedPartition() {
         final List<TopicPartition> topicPartitions = buildTopicPartitions(1);
 
         consumer = createObjectUnderTest("json", true);
+
+        // Reset the static variables
+        KafkaCustomConsumer.topicEmptyCheckingOwnerThreadId = null;
+        KafkaCustomConsumer.lastIsEmptyCheckTime = 0;
+        KafkaCustomConsumer.TOPIC_PARTITION_TO_IS_EMPTY.clear();
+
         when(kafkaConsumer.partitionsFor(TOPIC_NAME)).thenReturn(List.of(partitionInfo));
         when(partitionInfo.partition()).thenReturn(0);
         when(kafkaConsumer.committed(anySet())).thenReturn(Collections.emptyMap());
@@ -561,6 +586,12 @@ public void isTopicEmpty_MultiplePartitions_AllEmpty() {
         final List<TopicPartition> topicPartitions = buildTopicPartitions(2);
 
         consumer = createObjectUnderTest("json", true);
+
+        // Reset the static variables
+        KafkaCustomConsumer.topicEmptyCheckingOwnerThreadId = null;
+        KafkaCustomConsumer.lastIsEmptyCheckTime = 0;
+        KafkaCustomConsumer.TOPIC_PARTITION_TO_IS_EMPTY.clear();
+
         when(kafkaConsumer.partitionsFor(TOPIC_NAME)).thenReturn(List.of(partitionInfo, partitionInfo));
         when(partitionInfo.partition()).thenReturn(0).thenReturn(1);
         when(kafkaConsumer.committed(anySet())).thenReturn(getTopicPartitionToMap(topicPartitions, offsetAndMetadata));
@@ -585,6 +616,12 @@ public void isTopicEmpty_MultiplePartitions_OneNotEmpty() {
         final List<TopicPartition> topicPartitions = buildTopicPartitions(2);
 
         consumer = createObjectUnderTest("json", true);
+
+        // Reset the static variables
+        KafkaCustomConsumer.topicEmptyCheckingOwnerThreadId = null;
+        KafkaCustomConsumer.lastIsEmptyCheckTime = 0;
+        KafkaCustomConsumer.TOPIC_PARTITION_TO_IS_EMPTY.clear();
+
         when(kafkaConsumer.partitionsFor(TOPIC_NAME)).thenReturn(List.of(partitionInfo, partitionInfo));
         when(partitionInfo.partition()).thenReturn(0).thenReturn(1);
         when(kafkaConsumer.committed(anySet())).thenReturn(getTopicPartitionToMap(topicPartitions, offsetAndMetadata));
@@ -602,6 +639,34 @@ public void isTopicEmpty_MultiplePartitions_OneNotEmpty() {
         verify(offsetAndMetadata, times(2)).offset();
     }
 
+    @Test
+    public void isTopicEmpty_NonCheckerThread_ShortCircuits() {
+        consumer = createObjectUnderTest("json", true);
+
+        // Reset the static variables
+        KafkaCustomConsumer.topicEmptyCheckingOwnerThreadId = Thread.currentThread().getId() - 1;
+        KafkaCustomConsumer.lastIsEmptyCheckTime = 0;
+        KafkaCustomConsumer.TOPIC_PARTITION_TO_IS_EMPTY.clear();
+
+        assertThat(consumer.isTopicEmpty(), equalTo(true));
+
+        verifyNoInteractions(kafkaConsumer);
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    public void isTopicEmpty_CheckedWithinDelay_ShortCircuits() {
+        consumer = createObjectUnderTest("json", true);
+
+        // Reset the static variables
+        KafkaCustomConsumer.topicEmptyCheckingOwnerThreadId = null;
+        KafkaCustomConsumer.lastIsEmptyCheckTime = System.currentTimeMillis();
+        KafkaCustomConsumer.TOPIC_PARTITION_TO_IS_EMPTY.clear();
+
+        assertThat(consumer.isTopicEmpty(), equalTo(true));
+
+        verifyNoInteractions(kafkaConsumer);
+    }
+
     private List<TopicPartition> buildTopicPartitions(final int partitionCount) {
         return IntStream.range(0, partitionCount)
                 .mapToObj(i -> new TopicPartition(TOPIC_NAME, i))