diff --git a/kafka/consumer/group.py b/kafka/consumer/group.py
index b3e182c5d..3195b1b4a 100644
--- a/kafka/consumer/group.py
+++ b/kafka/consumer/group.py
@@ -552,11 +552,9 @@ def committed(self, partition):
                 committed = None
         return committed
 
-    def topics(self):
-        """Get all topics the user is authorized to view.
-
-        Returns:
-            set: topics
+    def _fetch_all_topic_metadata(self):
+        """A blocking call that fetches topic metadata for all topics in the
+        cluster that the user is authorized to view.
         """
         cluster = self._client.cluster
         if self._client._metadata_refresh_in_progress and self._client._topics:
@@ -567,10 +565,24 @@ def topics(self):
         future = cluster.request_update()
         self._client.poll(future=future)
         cluster.need_all_topic_metadata = stash
-        return cluster.topics()
+
+    def topics(self):
+        """Get all topics the user is authorized to view.
+        This will always issue a remote call to the cluster to fetch the latest
+        information.
+
+        Returns:
+            set: topics
+        """
+        self._fetch_all_topic_metadata()
+        return self._client.cluster.topics()
 
     def partitions_for_topic(self, topic):
-        """Get metadata about the partitions for a given topic.
+        """This method first checks the local metadata cache for information
+        about the topic. If the topic is not found (either because the topic
+        does not exist, the user is not authorized to view the topic, or the
+        metadata cache is not populated), then it will issue a metadata update
+        call to the cluster.
 
         Arguments:
             topic (str): Topic to check.
@@ -578,7 +590,12 @@ def partitions_for_topic(self, topic):
         Returns:
             set: Partition ids
         """
-        return self._client.cluster.partitions_for_topic(topic)
+        cluster = self._client.cluster
+        partitions = cluster.partitions_for_topic(topic)
+        if partitions is None:
+            self._fetch_all_topic_metadata()
+            partitions = cluster.partitions_for_topic(topic)
+        return partitions
 
     def poll(self, timeout_ms=0, max_records=None):
         """Fetch data from assigned topics / partitions.
diff --git a/test/test_consumer_group.py b/test/test_consumer_group.py
index d7aaa8896..ec2685765 100644
--- a/test/test_consumer_group.py
+++ b/test/test_consumer_group.py
@@ -29,6 +29,15 @@ def test_consumer(kafka_broker, topic, version):
     assert consumer._client._conns[node_id].state is ConnectionStates.CONNECTED
     consumer.close()
 
+@pytest.mark.skipif(not version(), reason="No KAFKA_VERSION set")
+def test_consumer_topics(kafka_broker, topic, version):
+    consumer = KafkaConsumer(bootstrap_servers=get_connect_str(kafka_broker))
+    # Necessary to drive the IO
+    consumer.poll(500)
+    consumer_topics = consumer.topics()
+    assert topic in consumer_topics
+    assert len(consumer.partitions_for_topic(topic)) > 0
+    consumer.close()
 
 @pytest.mark.skipif(version() < (0, 9), reason='Unsupported Kafka Version')
 @pytest.mark.skipif(not version(), reason="No KAFKA_VERSION set")