diff --git a/pkg/kgo/internal/sticky/sticky.go b/pkg/kgo/internal/sticky/sticky.go
index c8a1e710..a653b67d 100644
--- a/pkg/kgo/internal/sticky/sticky.go
+++ b/pkg/kgo/internal/sticky/sticky.go
@@ -472,6 +472,24 @@ func (b *balancer) assignUnassignedAndInitGraph() {
 	}
 
 	b.tryRestickyStales(topicPotentials, partitionConsumers)
+
+	// For each member, we now sort their current partitions by partition,
+	// then topic. Sorting the lowest numbers first means that once we
+	// steal from the end (when adding a member), we steal equally across
+	// all topics. This benefits the standard case the most, where all
+	// members consume equally.
+	for memberNum := range b.plan {
+		partNums := b.plan[memberNum]
+		sort.Slice(partNums, func(i, j int) bool {
+			lpNum, rpNum := partNums[i], partNums[j]
+			ltNum, rtNum := b.partOwners[lpNum], b.partOwners[rpNum]
+			li, ri := b.topicInfos[ltNum], b.topicInfos[rtNum]
+			lt, rt := li.topic, ri.topic
+			lp, rp := lpNum-li.partNum, rpNum-ri.partNum
+			return lp < rp || (lp == rp && lt < rt)
+		})
+	}
+
 	for _, potentials := range topicPotentials {
 		(&membersByPartitions{potentials, b.plan}).init()
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/kgo/internal/sticky/sticky_test.go b/pkg/kgo/internal/sticky/sticky_test.go
index c0033b8e..264b41e2 100644
--- a/pkg/kgo/internal/sticky/sticky_test.go
+++ b/pkg/kgo/internal/sticky/sticky_test.go
@@ -1517,6 +1517,30 @@ func Test_stickyBalanceStrategy_Plan_AssignmentWithMultipleGenerations2(t *testi
 	testPlanUsage(t, plan3, topics, nil)
 }
 
+func Test_stickyAddEqualMove(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+	topics := map[string]int32{"foo": 16, "bar": 16}
+	members := []GroupMember{
+		{ID: "1", Topics: []string{"foo", "bar"}},
+	}
+	plan1 := Balance(members, topics)
+
+	// PLAN 2
+	members[0].UserData = udEncode(1, 1, plan1["1"])
+	members = append(members, GroupMember{
+		ID: "2", Topics: []string{"foo", "bar"},
+	})
+
+	plan2 := Balance(members, topics)
+	testEqualDivvy(t, plan2, 16, members)
+	testPlanUsage(t, plan2, topics, nil)
+
+	if len(plan2["1"]["foo"]) != 8 || len(plan2["1"]["bar"]) != 8 ||
+		len(plan2["2"]["foo"]) != 8 || len(plan2["2"]["bar"]) != 8 {
+		t.Errorf("bad distribution: %v", plan2)
+	}
+}
+
 func Test_stickyBalanceStrategy_Plan_AssignmentWithConflictingPreviousGenerations(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()