diff --git a/flow/connectors/kafka/kafka.go b/flow/connectors/kafka/kafka.go
index e2c71b0fb1..a5adb705cc 100644
--- a/flow/connectors/kafka/kafka.go
+++ b/flow/connectors/kafka/kafka.go
@@ -166,17 +166,20 @@ func (c *KafkaConnector) SyncRecords(ctx context.Context, req *model.SyncRecords
 		ls.PreloadModule("flatbuffers", pua.FlatBuffers_Loader)
 		pua.RegisterTypes(ls)
 		err := ls.GPCall(pua.LoadPeerdbScript, lua.LString(req.Script))
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("error loading script %s: %w", req.Script, err)
+		}
+		err = ls.PCall(0, 0, nil)
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, fmt.Errorf("error executing script %s: %w", req.Script, err)
 		}
 		// discard results, for now rely on globals instead of script returning anything
-		ls.SetTop(0)
 
 		var ok bool
 		lfn := ls.Env.RawGetString("onRecord")
 		fn, ok = lfn.(*lua.LFunction)
 		if !ok {
-			return nil, fmt.Errorf("script should define `onRecord` as function, not %s", lfn.Type())
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("script should define `onRecord` as function, not %s", lfn)
 		}
 	} else {
 		return nil, errors.New("kafka mirror must have script")