diff --git a/pkg/kgo/internal/sticky/sticky.go b/pkg/kgo/internal/sticky/sticky.go
index a653b67d..a59ae857 100644
--- a/pkg/kgo/internal/sticky/sticky.go
+++ b/pkg/kgo/internal/sticky/sticky.go
@@ -490,22 +490,39 @@ func (b *balancer) assignUnassignedAndInitGraph() {
 		})
 	}
 
-	for _, potentials := range topicPotentials {
+	if !b.isComplex && len(topicPotentials) > 0 {
+		potentials := topicPotentials[0]
 		(&membersByPartitions{potentials, b.plan}).init()
-	}
-
-	for partNum, owner := range partitionConsumers {
-		if owner.memberNum != unassignedPart {
-			continue
+		for partNum, owner := range partitionConsumers {
+			if owner.memberNum != unassignedPart {
+				continue
+			}
+			assigned := potentials[0]
+			b.plan[assigned].add(int32(partNum))
+			(&membersByPartitions{potentials, b.plan}).fix0()
+			partitionConsumers[partNum].memberNum = assigned
 		}
-		potentials := topicPotentials[b.partOwners[partNum]]
-		if len(potentials) == 0 {
-			continue
+	} else {
+		for partNum, owner := range partitionConsumers {
+			if owner.memberNum != unassignedPart {
+				continue
+			}
+			potentials := topicPotentials[b.partOwners[partNum]]
+			if len(potentials) == 0 {
+				continue
+			}
+			leastConsumingPotential := potentials[0]
+			leastConsuming := len(b.plan[leastConsumingPotential])
+			for _, potential := range potentials[1:] {
+				potentialConsuming := len(b.plan[potential])
+				if potentialConsuming < leastConsuming {
+					leastConsumingPotential = potential
+					leastConsuming = potentialConsuming
+				}
+			}
+			b.plan[leastConsumingPotential].add(int32(partNum))
+			partitionConsumers[partNum].memberNum = leastConsumingPotential
 		}
-		assigned := potentials[0]
-		b.plan[assigned].add(int32(partNum))
-		(&membersByPartitions{potentials, b.plan}).fix0()
-		partitionConsumers[partNum].memberNum = assigned
 	}
 
 	// Lastly, with everything assigned, we build our steal graph for