diff --git a/kafka/config.go b/kafka/config.go
index e0028f93..7e9502cb 100644
--- a/kafka/config.go
+++ b/kafka/config.go
@@ -34,6 +34,8 @@ func (c *Config) newKafkaConfig() (*sarama.Config, error) {
 	kafkaConfig.Admin.Timeout = time.Duration(c.Timeout) * time.Second
 	kafkaConfig.Metadata.Full = true // the default, but just being clear
 	kafkaConfig.Metadata.AllowAutoTopicCreation = false
+	kafkaConfig.Metadata.Retry.Max = 10
+	kafkaConfig.Metadata.Retry.Backoff = 250 * time.Millisecond
 
 	kafkaConfig.Net.Proxy.Enable = true
 	kafkaConfig.Net.Proxy.Dialer = proxy.FromEnvironment()
@@ -93,7 +95,7 @@ func parsePemOrLoadFromFile(input string) (*pem.Block, []byte, error) {
 
 	if inputBlock == nil {
 		//attempt to load from file
-		log.Printf("[INFO] Attempting to load from file '%s'", input)
+		log.Printf("[TRACE] Attempting to load from file '%s'", input)
 		var err error
 		inputBytes, err = os.ReadFile(input)
 		if err != nil {
diff --git a/kafka/lazy_client.go b/kafka/lazy_client.go
index 7840c1a5..7c661652 100644
--- a/kafka/lazy_client.go
+++ b/kafka/lazy_client.go
@@ -30,7 +30,10 @@ func (c *LazyClient) init() error {
 		log.Printf("[TRACE] lazy client init %s", c.initErr)
 	}
 	if c.initErr == sarama.ErrBrokerNotAvailable || c.initErr == sarama.ErrOutOfBrokers {
+		log.Printf("[ERROR] Cannot connect to Kafka broker(s) %v", *(c.Config.BootstrapServers))
+		log.Printf("[ERROR] Check if Kafka broker(s) are up and running")
 		if c.Config.TLSEnabled {
+			log.Printf("[ERROR] Check if Kafka broker(s) are reachable from this machine using TLS")
 			tlsError := c.checkTLSConfig()
 			if tlsError != nil {
 				return fmt.Errorf("%w\n%s", tlsError, c.initErr)
@@ -48,14 +51,29 @@ func (c *LazyClient) checkTLSConfig() error {
 	}
 
 	brokers := *(c.Config.BootstrapServers)
-	broker := brokers[0]
-	tlsConf := kafkaConfig.Net.TLS.Config
-	conn, err := tls.Dial("tcp", broker, tlsConf)
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
+	errs := make([]error, 0, len(brokers))
+
+	for i := 0; i < len(brokers); i++ {
+		broker := brokers[i]
+		tlsConf := kafkaConfig.Net.TLS.Config
+		conn, err := tls.Dial("tcp", broker, tlsConf)
+		if err != nil {
+			errs = append(errs, err)
+			continue
+		}
+
+		err = conn.Handshake()
+		if err != nil {
+			errs = append(errs, err)
+			continue
+		}
+	}
+
+	if len(errs) > 0 {
+		return fmt.Errorf("TLS handshake failed for all brokers: %v", errs)
 	}
 
-	return conn.Handshake()
+	return nil
 }
 
 func (c *LazyClient) CreateTopic(t Topic) error {