diff --git a/crates/fluvio-sc/src/stores/topic/store.rs b/crates/fluvio-sc/src/stores/topic/store.rs
index 30ef23c177e..9c60f9ea49f 100644
--- a/crates/fluvio-sc/src/stores/topic/store.rs
+++ b/crates/fluvio-sc/src/stores/topic/store.rs
@@ -44,16 +44,14 @@ where
             let replica_key = ReplicaKey::new(self.key(), *idx);
 
             let partition_spec = PartitionSpec::from_replicas(replicas.clone(), &self.spec, mirror);
-            let store = partition_store.read().await;
-            let partition = store.get(&replica_key);
-            if let Some(p) = partition {
-                partitions.push(p.inner().clone());
-            } else {
+            if !partition_store.contains_key(&replica_key).await {
                 debug!(?replica_key, ?partition_spec, "creating new partition");
                 partitions.push(
                     MetadataStoreObject::with_spec(replica_key, partition_spec)
                         .with_context(self.ctx.create_child()),
                 )
+            } else {
+                debug!(?replica_key, "partition already exists");
             }
         }
         partitions