diff --git a/runner/sidecar/source/kafka/kafka.go b/runner/sidecar/source/kafka/kafka.go
index ca0c89d4..2cc35f26 100644
--- a/runner/sidecar/source/kafka/kafka.go
+++ b/runner/sidecar/source/kafka/kafka.go
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/confluentinc/confluent-kafka-go/kafka"
 	"github.com/go-logr/logr"
 	"github.com/opentracing/opentracing-go"
+	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/util/runtime"
 	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/util/wait"
 	corev1 "k8s.io/client-go/kubernetes/typed/core/v1"
 )
@@ -28,7 +29,6 @@ type kafkaSource struct {
 	consumer   *kafka.Consumer
 	topic      string
 	wg         *sync.WaitGroup
-	mu         sync.Mutex // for channels
 	channels   map[int32]chan *kafka.Message
 	process    source.Process
 	totalLag   int64
@@ -73,7 +73,6 @@ func New(ctx context.Context, secretInterface corev1.SecretInterface, mntr monit
 		sourceURN:  sourceURN,
 		consumer:   consumer,
 		topic:      x.Topic,
-		mu:         sync.Mutex{},
 		channels:   map[int32]chan *kafka.Message{}, // partition -> messages
 		wg:         &sync.WaitGroup{},
 		process:    process,
@@ -109,20 +108,17 @@ func (s *kafkaSource) processMessage(ctx context.Context, msg *kafka.Message) er
 
 func (s *kafkaSource) assignedPartition(ctx context.Context, partition int32) {
 	logger := s.logger.WithValues("partition", partition)
-	s.mu.Lock()
-	defer s.mu.Unlock()
 	if _, ok := s.channels[partition]; !ok {
 		logger.Info("assigned partition")
 		s.channels[partition] = make(chan *kafka.Message, 256)
-		go wait.JitterUntilWithContext(ctx, func(ctx context.Context) {
+		go func() {
+			defer runtime.HandleCrash()
 			s.consumePartition(ctx, partition)
-		}, 3*time.Second, 1.2, true)
+		}()
 	}
 }
 
 func (s *kafkaSource) revokedPartition(partition int32) {
-	s.mu.Lock()
-	defer s.mu.Unlock()
 	if _, ok := s.channels[partition]; ok {
 		s.logger.Info("revoked partition", "partition", partition)
 		close(s.channels[partition])
@@ -174,12 +170,10 @@ func (s *kafkaSource) startPollLoop(ctx context.Context) {
 
 func (s *kafkaSource) Close() error {
 	s.logger.Info("closing partition channels")
-	s.mu.Lock()
 	for key, ch := range s.channels {
 		delete(s.channels, key)
 		close(ch)
 	}
-	s.mu.Unlock()
 	s.logger.Info("waiting for partition consumers to finish")
 	s.wg.Wait()
 	s.logger.Info("closing consumer")