diff --git a/apisix/core/pubsub.lua b/apisix/core/pubsub.lua
index 18bb887001c1..5b36b0cc9dff 100644
--- a/apisix/core/pubsub.lua
+++ b/apisix/core/pubsub.lua
@@ -66,6 +66,10 @@ end
 -- send generic response to client
 local function send_resp(ws, sequence, data)
     data.sequence = sequence
+    -- only restore state if it has changed
+    if pb_state ~= pb.state() then
+        pb.state(pb_state)
+    end
     local ok, encoded = pcall(pb.encode, "PubSubResp", data)
     if not ok or not encoded then
         log.error("failed to encode response message, err: ", encoded)
@@ -184,11 +188,11 @@ function _M.wait(self)
             goto continue
         end
 
-        -- recovery of stored pb_store
-        local pb_old_state = pb.state(pb_state)
-
+        -- only recover state if it has changed
+        if pb.state() ~= pb_state then
+            pb.state(pb_state)
+        end
         local data, err = pb.decode("PubSubReq", raw_data)
-        pb.state(pb_old_state)
         if not data then
             log.error("pubsub server receives undecodable data, err: ", err)
             send_error(ws, 0, "wrong command")
diff --git a/t/pubsub/kafka.t b/t/pubsub/kafka.t
index b61af6f0cb83..b779a4846a7d 100644
--- a/t/pubsub/kafka.t
+++ b/t/pubsub/kafka.t
@@ -159,6 +159,7 @@ failed to initialize pubsub module, err: bad "upgrade" request header: nil
     # script that prepares the CI environment
     location /t {
         content_by_lua_block {
+            local pb         = require("pb")
             local lib_pubsub = require("lib.pubsub")
             local test_pubsub = lib_pubsub.new_ws("ws://127.0.0.1:1984/kafka")
             local data = {
@@ -235,6 +236,8 @@ failed to initialize pubsub module, err: bad "upgrade" request header: nil
             }
 
             for i = 1, #data do
+                -- force clear state
+                pb.state(nil)
                 local data = test_pubsub:send_recv_ws_binary(data[i])
                 if data.error_resp then
                     ngx.say(data.sequence..data.error_resp.message)