diff --git a/pkg/kafka/partition/reader_service.go b/pkg/kafka/partition/reader_service.go
index dedcf183485c..b643182e617b 100644
--- a/pkg/kafka/partition/reader_service.go
+++ b/pkg/kafka/partition/reader_service.go
@@ -136,7 +136,8 @@ func (s *ReaderService) starting(ctx context.Context) error {
 		"partition", s.reader.Partition(),
 		"consumer_group", s.reader.ConsumerGroup(),
 	)
-	s.metrics.reportStarting(s.reader.Partition())
+	s.metrics.reportOwnerOfPartition(s.reader.Partition())
+	s.metrics.reportStarting()
 
 	// Fetch the last committed offset to determine where to start reading
 	lastCommittedOffset, err := s.reader.FetchLastCommittedOffset(ctx)
@@ -196,7 +197,7 @@ func (s *ReaderService) running(ctx context.Context) error {
 		"partition", s.reader.Partition(),
 		"consumer_group", s.reader.ConsumerGroup(),
 	)
-	s.metrics.reportRunning(s.reader.Partition())
+	s.metrics.reportRunning()
 
 	consumer, err := s.consumerFactory(s.committer)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -396,14 +397,16 @@ func (s *ReaderService) startFetchLoop(ctx context.Context) chan []Record {
 	return records
 }
 
-func (s *serviceMetrics) reportStarting(partition int32) {
-	s.partition.WithLabelValues(strconv.Itoa(int(partition))).Set(1)
+func (s *serviceMetrics) reportOwnerOfPartition(id int32) {
+	s.partition.WithLabelValues(strconv.Itoa(int(id))).Set(1)
+}
+
+func (s *serviceMetrics) reportStarting() {
 	s.phase.WithLabelValues(phaseStarting).Set(1)
 	s.phase.WithLabelValues(phaseRunning).Set(0)
 }
 
-func (s *serviceMetrics) reportRunning(partition int32) {
-	s.partition.WithLabelValues(strconv.Itoa(int(partition))).Set(1)
+func (s *serviceMetrics) reportRunning() {
 	s.phase.WithLabelValues(phaseStarting).Set(0)
 	s.phase.WithLabelValues(phaseRunning).Set(1)
 }