diff --git a/plugins/in_kafka/in_kafka.c b/plugins/in_kafka/in_kafka.c
index df1605af31c..395217cc378 100644
--- a/plugins/in_kafka/in_kafka.c
+++ b/plugins/in_kafka/in_kafka.c
@@ -182,8 +182,9 @@ static int in_kafka_collect(struct flb_input_instance *ins,
 
         
         if(!ctx->enable_auto_commit) {
-            /* TO-DO: commit the record based on `ret` */
-            rd_kafka_commit(ctx->kafka.rk, NULL, 0);
+            if (ret == FLB_EVENT_ENCODER_SUCCESS) {
+                rd_kafka_commit(ctx->kafka.rk, NULL, 0);
+            }
         }
 
         /* Break from the loop when reaching the limit of polling if available */
@@ -225,6 +226,7 @@ static int in_kafka_init(struct flb_input_instance *ins,
     char errstr[512];
     (void) data;
     char conf_val[16];
+    size_t dsize;
 
     /* Allocate space for the configuration context */
     ctx = flb_malloc(sizeof(struct flb_in_kafka_config));
@@ -252,13 +254,20 @@ static int in_kafka_init(struct flb_input_instance *ins,
      *    -> minimize the delay we might create
      * b) run in our own thread: 
      *    -> optimize for throuput and relay on 'fetch.wait.max.ms' 
-     *       which is set to 500 by default default. lets set it to
-     *       twice that so that increasing fetch.wait.max.ms still
-     *       has an effect.
+     *       which is set to 500 by default default. wa algin our
+     *       timeout with what is set for 'fetch.wait.max.ms'
      */
     ctx->poll_timeount_ms = 1;   
-    if(ins->is_threaded) {
-        ctx->poll_timeount_ms = 1000;
+    if (ins->is_threaded) {
+        ctx->poll_timeount_ms = 550;  // ensure kafa triggers timeout
+    
+        // align our timeout with what was configured for fetch.wait.max.ms
+        dsize = sizeof(conf_val);
+        res = rd_kafka_conf_get(kafka_conf, "fetch.wait.max.ms", conf_val, &dsize);
+        if (res == RD_KAFKA_CONF_OK && dsize <= sizeof(conf_val)) {
+            // add 50ms so kafa triggers timout
+            ctx->poll_timeount_ms = atoi(conf_val) + 50;  
+        }
     }
 
     if (ctx->buffer_max_size > 0) {
@@ -451,7 +460,6 @@ static struct flb_config_map config_map[] = {
     0, FLB_TRUE, offsetof(struct flb_in_kafka_config, enable_auto_commit),
     "Rely on kafka auto-commit and commit messages in batches"
    },
-   /* EOF */
    {0}
 };
 
diff --git a/plugins/in_kafka/in_kafka.h b/plugins/in_kafka/in_kafka.h
index 7eca5f5341f..7a57e0ca68b 100644
--- a/plugins/in_kafka/in_kafka.h
+++ b/plugins/in_kafka/in_kafka.h
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@
 #define FLB_IN_KAFKA_UNLIMITED             (size_t)-1
 #define FLB_IN_KAFKA_BUFFER_MAX_SIZE       "4M"
 #define FLB_IN_KAFKA_ENABLE_AUTO_COMMIT    "false"
+#define FLB_IN_KAFKA_POLL_TIMEOUT_MS       "550"        // same as kafka fetch.wait.max.ms + 10%
 
 enum {
     FLB_IN_KAFKA_FORMAT_NONE,