diff --git a/src/main/scala/uk/sky/fs2/kafka/topicloader/TopicLoader.scala b/src/main/scala/uk/sky/fs2/kafka/topicloader/TopicLoader.scala
index 90b9f5f..fd9ffb6 100644
--- a/src/main/scala/uk/sky/fs2/kafka/topicloader/TopicLoader.scala
+++ b/src/main/scala/uk/sky/fs2/kafka/topicloader/TopicLoader.scala
@@ -82,12 +82,17 @@ trait TopicLoader {
         record           <- postLoadConsumer.records.map(_.record)
       } yield record
 
+    def stopConsumer(consumer: KafkaConsumer[F, K, V]) =
+      consumer.stopConsuming >> consumer.terminate >> consumer.awaitTermination
+
     for {
       given Logger[F] <- Stream.eval(LoggerFactory[F].create)
       preloadConsumer <- KafkaConsumer.stream(consumerSettings)
       logOffsets      <- Stream.eval(logOffsetsForTopics(topics, LoadAll, preloadConsumer)).flatMap(Stream.fromOption(_))
       _               <- Stream.eval(info"log offsets: ${logOffsets.show}")
-      record          <- load(logOffsets, preloadConsumer).onFinalizeCase(onLoad) ++ postLoad(logOffsets)
+      record          <- load(logOffsets, preloadConsumer).onFinalizeCase(onLoad) ++
+                           Stream.exec(stopConsumer(preloadConsumer)) ++
+                           postLoad(logOffsets)
     } yield record
   }