diff --git a/reader.go b/reader.go
index c885dde..b6ce70a 100644
--- a/reader.go
+++ b/reader.go
@@ -77,6 +77,7 @@ type ReaderConfig struct {
 type ConsumeConfig struct {
 	Limit         int64 `json:"limit"`
 	NanoPrecision bool  `json:"nanoPrecision"`
+	ExpectTimeout bool  `json:"expectTimeout"`
 }
 
 type Duration struct {
@@ -331,6 +332,11 @@ func (k *Kafka) consume(
 		ctxWithTimeout, cancel := context.WithTimeout(ctx, maxWait)
 		msg, err := reader.ReadMessage(ctxWithTimeout)
 		cancel()
+		if errors.Is(ctxWithTimeout.Err(), context.DeadlineExceeded) && consumeConfig.ExpectTimeout {
+			k.reportReaderStats(reader.Stats())
+
+			return messages
+		}
 		if errors.Is(err, io.EOF) {
 			k.reportReaderStats(reader.Stats())
 
diff --git a/reader_test.go b/reader_test.go
index ed924b9..871b0d1 100644
--- a/reader_test.go
+++ b/reader_test.go
@@ -21,32 +21,75 @@ func TestConsumerMaxWaitExceeded(t *testing.T) {
 	defer writer.Close()
 
 	// Create a reader to consume messages.
-	assert.NotPanics(t, func() {
-		reader := test.module.Kafka.reader(&ReaderConfig{
-			Brokers: []string{"localhost:9092"},
-			Topic:   test.topicName,
-			MaxWait: Duration{time.Second * 3},
-		})
-		assert.NotNil(t, reader)
-		defer reader.Close()
+	reader := test.module.Kafka.reader(&ReaderConfig{
+		Brokers: []string{"localhost:9092"},
+		Topic:   test.topicName,
+		MaxWait: Duration{250 * time.Millisecond},
+	})
+	assert.NotNil(t, reader)
+	defer reader.Close()
 
-		// Switch to VU code.
-		require.NoError(t, test.moveToVUCode())
+	// Switch to VU code.
+	require.NoError(t, test.moveToVUCode())
 
-		// Consume a message in the VU function.
-		assert.Panics(t, func() {
-			messages := test.module.Kafka.consume(reader, &ConsumeConfig{Limit: 1})
-			assert.Empty(t, messages)
-		})
+	test.module.Kafka.produce(writer, &ProduceConfig{
+		Messages: []Message{
+			{
+				Value: test.module.Kafka.serialize(&Container{
+					Data:       "value1",
+					SchemaType: String,
+				}),
+			},
+		},
 	})
 
-	// Check if no message was consumed.
+	// Allow receiving messages consumed before MaxWait
+	messages := test.module.Kafka.consume(reader, &ConsumeConfig{Limit: 2, ExpectTimeout: true})
+	assert.Equal(t, 1, len(messages))
+
+	// Check that message was consumed.
 	metricsValues := test.getCounterMetricsValues()
 	assert.Equal(t, 1.0, metricsValues[test.module.metrics.ReaderDials.Name])
 	assert.Equal(t, 0.0, metricsValues[test.module.metrics.ReaderErrors.Name])
-	assert.Equal(t, 0.0, metricsValues[test.module.metrics.ReaderBytes.Name])
-	assert.Equal(t, 0.0, metricsValues[test.module.metrics.ReaderMessages.Name])
+	assert.Equal(t, 6.0, metricsValues[test.module.metrics.ReaderBytes.Name])
+	assert.Equal(t, 1.0, metricsValues[test.module.metrics.ReaderMessages.Name])
 	assert.Equal(t, 0.0, metricsValues[test.module.metrics.ReaderRebalances.Name])
+
+	// Fail on deadline in the default case
+	assert.Panics(t, func() {
+		test.module.Kafka.consume(reader, &ConsumeConfig{Limit: 2})
+	})
+}
+
+// TestConsumerPanicsOnClose tests the consume function when the reader is being
+// closed. Closing the reader while reading is considered unexpected and should
+// panic.
+func TestConsumerPanicsOnClose(t *testing.T) {
+	test := getTestModuleInstance(t)
+	test.createTopic()
+
+	// Create a reader to consume messages.
+	reader := test.module.Kafka.reader(&ReaderConfig{
+		Brokers: []string{"localhost:9092"},
+		Topic:   test.topicName,
+		MaxWait: Duration{time.Second * 3},
+	})
+	defer reader.Close()
+
+	go func() {
+		// Wait for a bit so consumption starts.
+		time.Sleep(250 * time.Millisecond)
+		// Close reader to cause consume to panic.
+		reader.Close()
+	}()
+
+	// Switch to VU code.
+	require.NoError(t, test.moveToVUCode())
+
+	// Consume a message in the VU function.
+	assert.Panics(t, func() {
+		test.module.Kafka.consume(reader, &ConsumeConfig{Limit: 1})
+	})
 }
 
 // TestConsume tests the consume function.