diff --git a/client.go b/client.go
index 2931dd91c..3ee1dcb22 100644
--- a/client.go
+++ b/client.go
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ type client struct {
 
 	brokers      map[int32]*Broker                       // maps broker ids to brokers
 	metadata     map[string]map[int32]*PartitionMetadata // maps topics to partition ids to metadata
-	coordinators map[string]*Broker                      // Maps consumer group names to coordinating brokers
+	coordinators map[string]int32                        // Maps consumer group names to coordinating broker IDs
 
 	// If the number of partitions is large, we can get some churn calling cachedPartitions,
 	// so the result is cached.  It is important to update this value whenever metadata is changed
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ func NewClient(addrs []string, conf *Config) (Client, error) {
 		brokers:                 make(map[int32]*Broker),
 		metadata:                make(map[string]map[int32]*PartitionMetadata),
 		cachedPartitionsResults: make(map[string][maxPartitionIndex][]int32),
-		coordinators:            make(map[string]*Broker),
+		coordinators:            make(map[string]int32),
 	}
 	for _, addr := range addrs {
 		client.seedBrokers = append(client.seedBrokers, NewBroker(addr))
@@ -318,10 +318,10 @@ func (client *client) GetOffset(topic string, partitionID int32, time int64) (in
 
 func (client *client) Coordinator(consumerGroup string) (*Broker, error) {
 	client.lock.RLock()
-	coordinator := client.coordinators[consumerGroup]
+	coordinatorID, coordinatorCached := client.coordinators[consumerGroup]
 	client.lock.RUnlock()
 
-	if coordinator == nil {
+	if !coordinatorCached {
 		var err error
 		err = client.RefreshCoordinator(consumerGroup)
 		if err != nil {
@@ -329,10 +329,11 @@ func (client *client) Coordinator(consumerGroup string) (*Broker, error) {
 		}
 
 		client.lock.RLock()
-		coordinator = client.coordinators[consumerGroup]
+		coordinatorID = client.coordinators[consumerGroup]
 		client.lock.RUnlock()
 	}
 
+	coordinator := client.brokers[coordinatorID]
 	_ = coordinator.Open(client.conf)
 	return coordinator, nil
 }
@@ -344,7 +345,7 @@ func (client *client) RefreshCoordinator(consumerGroup string) error {
 	}
 
 	client.lock.Lock()
-	client.coordinators[consumerGroup] = client.registerBroker(coordinator)
+	client.coordinators[consumerGroup] = client.registerBroker(coordinator).ID()
 	client.lock.Unlock()
 
 	return nil