diff --git a/client.go b/client.go
index f01fce9b4..7d1501af5 100644
--- a/client.go
+++ b/client.go
@@ -43,9 +43,14 @@ type Client interface {
 	// offset, OffsetNewest for the offset of the message that will be produced next, or a time.
 	GetOffset(topic string, partitionID int32, time int64) (int64, error)
 
-	// Coordinator returns the coordinating broker for a consumer group.
+	// Coordinator returns the coordinating broker for a consumer group. It will return a locally cached
+	// value if it's available. This may be stale, in which case you should call RefreshCoordinator
+	// to update the locally cached value.
 	Coordinator(consumerGroup string) (*Broker, error)
 
+	// RefreshCoordinator refreshes the coordinator for a consumer group.
+	RefreshCoordinator(consumerGroup string) error
+
 	// Close shuts down all broker connections managed by this client. It is required to call this function before
 	// a client object passes out of scope, as it will otherwise leak memory. You must close any Producers or Consumers
 	// using a client before you close the client.
@@ -313,25 +318,38 @@ func (client *client) GetOffset(topic string, partitionID int32, time int64) (in
 
 func (client *client) Coordinator(consumerGroup string) (*Broker, error) {
 	client.lock.RLock()
-	coordinator, ok := client.coordinators[consumerGroup]
+	coordinator := client.coordinators[consumerGroup]
 	client.lock.RUnlock()
 
-	if !ok {
+	if coordinator == nil {
 		var err error
-		coordinator, err = client.refreshCoordinator(consumerGroup, client.conf.Metadata.Retry.Max)
+		err = client.RefreshCoordinator(consumerGroup)
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, err
 		}
 
-		client.lock.Lock()
-		client.coordinators[consumerGroup] = client.registerBroker(coordinator)
-		client.lock.Unlock()
+		client.lock.RLock()
+		coordinator = client.coordinators[consumerGroup]
+		client.lock.RUnlock()
 	}
 
 	_ = coordinator.Open(client.conf)
 	return coordinator, nil
 }
 
+func (client *client) RefreshCoordinator(consumerGroup string) error {
+	coordinator, err := client.getCoordinator(consumerGroup, client.conf.Metadata.Retry.Max)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	client.lock.Lock()
+	client.coordinators[consumerGroup] = client.registerBroker(coordinator)
+	client.lock.Unlock()
+
+	return nil
+}
+
 // private broker management helpers
 
 func (client *client) disconnectBroker(broker *Broker) {
@@ -632,7 +650,7 @@ func (client *client) updateMetadata(data *MetadataResponse) ([]string, error) {
 	return ret, err
 }
 
-func (client *client) refreshCoordinator(consumerGroup string, attemptsRemaining int) (*Broker, error) {
+func (client *client) getCoordinator(consumerGroup string, attemptsRemaining int) (*Broker, error) {
 	for broker := client.any(); broker != nil; broker = client.any() {
 
 		Logger.Printf("client/coordinator Requesting coordinator for consumergoup %s from %s.\n", consumerGroup, broker.Addr())
@@ -676,14 +694,8 @@ func (client *client) refreshCoordinator(consumerGroup string, attemptsRemaining
 
 		time.Sleep(client.conf.Metadata.Retry.Backoff)
 		client.resurrectDeadBrokers()
-		return client.refreshCoordinator(consumerGroup, attemptsRemaining-1)
+		return client.getCoordinator(consumerGroup, attemptsRemaining-1)
 	}
 
 	return nil, ErrOutOfBrokers
 }
-
-func (client *client) invalidateCoordinator(consumerGroup string) {
-	client.lock.Lock()
-	delete(client.coordinators, consumerGroup)
-	client.lock.Unlock()
-}
diff --git a/client_test.go b/client_test.go
index b1cb1bfef..4e57d8d87 100644
--- a/client_test.go
+++ b/client_test.go
@@ -425,7 +425,8 @@ func TestClientResurrectDeadSeeds(t *testing.T) {
 
 func TestClientCoordinator(t *testing.T) {
 	seedBroker := newMockBroker(t, 1)
-	coordinator := newMockBroker(t, 5)
+	staleCoordinator := newMockBroker(t, 2)
+	freshCoordinator := newMockBroker(t, 3)
 
 	metadataResponse1 := new(MetadataResponse)
 	seedBroker.Returns(metadataResponse1)
@@ -440,9 +441,9 @@ func TestClientCoordinator(t *testing.T) {
 	seedBroker.Returns(coordinatorResponse1)
 
 	coordinatorResponse2 := new(ConsumerMetadataResponse)
-	coordinatorResponse2.CoordinatorID = coordinator.BrokerID()
+	coordinatorResponse2.CoordinatorID = staleCoordinator.BrokerID()
 	coordinatorResponse2.CoordinatorHost = "127.0.0.1"
-	coordinatorResponse2.CoordinatorPort = coordinator.Port()
+	coordinatorResponse2.CoordinatorPort = staleCoordinator.Port()
 
 	seedBroker.Returns(coordinatorResponse2)
 
@@ -451,15 +452,48 @@ func TestClientCoordinator(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Error(err)
 	}
 
-	if coordinator.Addr() != broker.Addr() {
-		t.Errorf("Expected coordinator to have address %s, found %s", coordinator.Addr(), broker.Addr())
+	if staleCoordinator.Addr() != broker.Addr() {
+		t.Errorf("Expected coordinator to have address %s, found %s", staleCoordinator.Addr(), broker.Addr())
 	}
 
-	if coordinator.BrokerID() != broker.ID() {
-		t.Errorf("Expected coordinator to have ID %d, found %d", coordinator.BrokerID(), broker.ID())
+	if staleCoordinator.BrokerID() != broker.ID() {
+		t.Errorf("Expected coordinator to have ID %d, found %d", staleCoordinator.BrokerID(), broker.ID())
 	}
 
-	coordinator.Close()
+	// Grab the cached value
+	broker2, err := client.Coordinator("my_group")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Error(err)
+	}
+
+	if broker2.Addr() != broker.Addr() {
+		t.Errorf("Expected the coordinator to be the same, but found %s vs. %s", broker2.Addr(), broker.Addr())
+	}
+
+	coordinatorResponse3 := new(ConsumerMetadataResponse)
+	coordinatorResponse3.CoordinatorID = freshCoordinator.BrokerID()
+	coordinatorResponse3.CoordinatorHost = "127.0.0.1"
+	coordinatorResponse3.CoordinatorPort = freshCoordinator.Port()
+
+	seedBroker.Returns(coordinatorResponse3)
+
+	// Refresh the locally cahced value because it's stale
+	if err := client.RefreshCoordinator("my_group"); err != nil {
+		t.Error(err)
+	}
+
+	// Grab the fresh value
+	broker3, err := client.Coordinator("my_group")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Error(err)
+	}
+
+	if broker3.Addr() != freshCoordinator.Addr() {
+		t.Errorf("Expected the freshCoordinator to be returned, but found %s vs. %s", broker3.Addr())
+	}
+
+	freshCoordinator.Close()
+	staleCoordinator.Close()
 	seedBroker.Close()
 	safeClose(t, client)
 }