diff --git a/lib/BackbeatConsumer.js b/lib/BackbeatConsumer.js
index f20f1af8d..8df60c538 100644
--- a/lib/BackbeatConsumer.js
+++ b/lib/BackbeatConsumer.js
@@ -1091,7 +1091,7 @@ class BackbeatConsumer extends EventEmitter {
      */
     resume(site) {
         // if not subscribed, then subscribe
-        if (this._consumer.subscription().length === 0) {
+        if (this._getSubscription() === null) {
             this._consumer.subscribe([this._topic]);
             this._log.debug(`resumed consumer for location: ${site}`, {
                 method: 'BackbeatConsumer.resume',
@@ -1112,7 +1112,7 @@ class BackbeatConsumer extends EventEmitter {
      * @return {boolean} true if paused
      */
     isPaused() {
-        return this._consumer.subscription().length === 0;
+        return this._getSubscription() === null;
     }
 
     /**
@@ -1120,8 +1120,28 @@ class BackbeatConsumer extends EventEmitter {
      * @return {boolean} if false, consumer is paused
      */
     getServiceStatus() {
-        const subscriptions = this._consumer.subscription();
-        return subscriptions.length > 0;
+        return this._getSubscription() !== null;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Read the consumer's current subscription.
+     *
+     * @return {string[]|null} subscribed topics, or null if unavailable
+     */
+    _getSubscription() {
+        let subscription;
+        try {
+            subscription = this._consumer.subscription();
+        } catch (err) {
+            this._log.debug('could not read consumer subscription', {
+                method: 'BackbeatConsumer._getSubscription',
+                topic: this._topic,
+                groupId: this._groupId,
+                error: err.message,
+            });
+            return null;
+        }
+        return subscription.length === 0 ? null : subscription;
     }
 
     /**
@@ -1212,8 +1232,8 @@ class BackbeatConsumer extends EventEmitter {
         return async.waterfall([
             next => {
                 if (this._consumer?.isConnected()) {
-                    const subscription = this._consumer.subscription() || [];
-                    if (subscription.length > 0) {
+                    const subscription = this._getSubscription();
+                    if (subscription !== null) {
                         this._consumer.unsubscribe();
                         // Wait for partition unassign to complete before
                         // disconnecting, the rebalance callback will handle
diff --git a/tests/unit/lib/BackbeatConsumer.spec.js b/tests/unit/lib/BackbeatConsumer.spec.js
index 7b91afc87..b1f4f6515 100644
--- a/tests/unit/lib/BackbeatConsumer.spec.js
+++ b/tests/unit/lib/BackbeatConsumer.spec.js
@@ -72,3 +72,68 @@ describe('BackbeatConsumer._processTask', () => {
         });
     });
 });
+
+describe('BackbeatConsumer subscription state', () => {
+    const proto = BackbeatConsumer.prototype;
+
+    function makeSelf(subscription) {
+        return {
+            _topic: 'test-topic',
+            _groupId: 'test-group',
+            _log: { debug: () => {}, error: () => {} },
+            _consumer: { subscription },
+            _getSubscription: proto._getSubscription,
+            isPaused: proto.isPaused,
+        };
+    }
+
+    it('should report paused when the consumer has no subscription', () => {
+        const self = makeSelf(() => []);
+        assert.strictEqual(proto.isPaused.call(self), true);
+        assert.strictEqual(proto.getServiceStatus.call(self), false);
+    });
+
+    it('should report active when the consumer is subscribed', () => {
+        const self = makeSelf(() => ['test-topic']);
+        assert.strictEqual(proto.isPaused.call(self), false);
+        assert.strictEqual(proto.getServiceStatus.call(self), true);
+    });
+
+    it('should report paused rather than throw when subscription() fails', () => {
+        // node-rdkafka throws ERR__STATE when the consumer is connected but
+        // mid-unassign or closing
+        const self = makeSelf(() => { throw new Error('Local: Erroneous state'); });
+        assert.strictEqual(proto.isPaused.call(self), true);
+        assert.strictEqual(proto.getServiceStatus.call(self), false);
+    });
+
+    it('should not throw out of onEntryCommittable when subscription() fails', () => {
+        const self = makeSelf(() => { throw new Error('Local: Erroneous state'); });
+        self._offsetLedger = {
+            onOffsetProcessed: () => 42,
+            toString: () => '',
+        };
+        self._consumer.isConnected = () => true;
+        self._consumer.offsetsStore =
+            () => assert.fail('offsetsStore must not be called while unavailable');
+
+        assert.doesNotThrow(() => proto.onEntryCommittable.call(self,
+            { topic: 'test-topic', partition: 0, offset: 42 }));
+    });
+
+    it('should subscribe on resume when the subscription is unavailable', () => {
+        const self = makeSelf(() => { throw new Error('Local: Erroneous state'); });
+        let subscribed = null;
+        self._consumer.subscribe = topics => { subscribed = topics; };
+
+        assert.doesNotThrow(() => proto.resume.call(self, 'test-site'));
+        assert.deepStrictEqual(subscribed, ['test-topic']);
+    });
+
+    it('should not subscribe on resume when already subscribed', () => {
+        const self = makeSelf(() => ['test-topic']);
+        self._consumer.subscribe = () => assert.fail('should not re-subscribe');
+
+        assert.doesNotThrow(() => proto.resume.call(self, 'test-site'));
+    });
+});