diff --git a/weed/mq/kafka/protocol/offset_management.go b/weed/mq/kafka/protocol/offset_management.go
index 58ba7a476..145e23cd7 100644
--- a/weed/mq/kafka/protocol/offset_management.go
+++ b/weed/mq/kafka/protocol/offset_management.go
@@ -160,23 +160,26 @@ func (h *Handler) handleOffsetCommit(correlationID uint32, apiVersion uint16, re
 			// Commit offset to both in-memory and SMQ storage
 			var errCode int16 = ErrorCodeNone
 			if generationMatches {
-				// Store in in-memory map first (works for both mock and SMQ backends)
-				if err := h.commitOffset(group, t.Name, p.Index, p.Offset, p.Metadata); err != nil {
-					errCode = ErrorCodeOffsetMetadataTooLarge
-				}
-
-				// Also store in SMQ persistent storage if available
+				// CRITICAL: Commit to persistent storage FIRST
+				// If persistent storage succeeds, update in-memory cache
+				// This ensures in-memory state never diverges from persistent state
+				// If SMQ commit fails, the offset is not lost and client knows it failed
 				if err := h.commitOffsetToSMQ(key, p.Offset, p.Metadata); err != nil {
-					// SMQ storage may not be available (e.g., in mock mode) - that's okay
-					glog.V(4).Infof("[OFFSET_COMMIT] SMQ storage not available: %v", err)
-				}
-
-				if groupIsEmpty {
-					glog.V(3).Infof("[OFFSET_COMMIT] Committed (empty group): group=%s topic=%s partition=%d offset=%d",
-						req.GroupID, t.Name, p.Index, p.Offset)
+					// Persistent storage commit failed - report error to client
+					// Do NOT commit to in-memory to keep states in sync
+					errCode = ErrorCodeNotCoordinatorForGroup
+					glog.V(2).Infof("[OFFSET_COMMIT] Failed to commit to persistent storage: group=%s topic=%s partition=%d offset=%d err=%v",
+						req.GroupID, t.Name, p.Index, p.Offset, err)
 				} else {
-					glog.V(3).Infof("[OFFSET_COMMIT] Committed: group=%s topic=%s partition=%d offset=%d gen=%d",
-						req.GroupID, t.Name, p.Index, p.Offset, group.Generation)
+					// Persistent storage commit succeeded - now update in-memory cache
+					if err := h.commitOffset(group, t.Name, p.Index, p.Offset, p.Metadata); err != nil {
+						errCode = ErrorCodeOffsetMetadataTooLarge
+						glog.V(2).Infof("[OFFSET_COMMIT] Failed to update in-memory cache: group=%s topic=%s partition=%d offset=%d err=%v",
+							req.GroupID, t.Name, p.Index, p.Offset, err)
+					} else {
+						glog.V(3).Infof("[OFFSET_COMMIT] Committed: group=%s topic=%s partition=%d offset=%d gen=%d (persistent+memory)",
+							req.GroupID, t.Name, p.Index, p.Offset, group.Generation)
+					}
 				}
 			} else {
 				// Do not store commit if generation mismatch