diff --git a/internal/impl/redpanda/migrator/migrator.go b/internal/impl/redpanda/migrator/migrator.go
index 05042c02a5..6bfb1f281e 100644
--- a/internal/impl/redpanda/migrator/migrator.go
+++ b/internal/impl/redpanda/migrator/migrator.go
@@ -522,8 +522,7 @@ func (m *Migrator) onInputConnected(ctx context.Context, fr *kafka.FranzReaderOr
 	m.src = fr.Client
 	m.srcAdm = kadm.NewClient(fr.Client)
 	m.srcClusterID = []byte(metadata.Cluster)
-	m.groups.src = fr.Client
-	m.groups.srcAdm = m.srcAdm
+	m.groups.setSource(fr.Client, m.srcAdm)
 	m.mu.Unlock()
 
 	return nil
@@ -553,11 +552,9 @@ func (m *Migrator) onOutputConnected(_ context.Context, fw franzWriter) error {
 	}
 
 	m.mu.Lock()
-	m.groups.offsetHeader = m.offsetHeader
 	m.dstAdm = dstAdm
 	m.dstClusterID = []byte(metadata.Cluster)
-	m.groups.dst = clientInfo.Client
-	m.groups.dstAdm = dstAdm
+	m.groups.setDestination(clientInfo.Client, dstAdm, m.offsetHeader)
 	m.mu.Unlock()
 
 	// Start a periodic topic sync loop to handle empty topics that would
diff --git a/internal/impl/redpanda/migrator/migrator_groups.go b/internal/impl/redpanda/migrator/migrator_groups.go
index 2a2e562925..d51d4c539b 100644
--- a/internal/impl/redpanda/migrator/migrator_groups.go
+++ b/internal/impl/redpanda/migrator/migrator_groups.go
@@ -192,14 +192,18 @@ type GroupOffset struct {
 //   - Runs in one-shot or continuous sync modes
 //   - Provides metrics and caching for performance
 type groupsMigrator struct {
-	conf         GroupsMigratorConfig
+	conf    GroupsMigratorConfig
+	metrics *groupsMetrics
+	log     *service.Logger
+
+	// mu protects the fields below which are written during connection
+	// (onInputConnected / onOutputConnected) and read from SyncLoop.
+	mu           sync.RWMutex
 	offsetHeader string
 	src          *kgo.Client
 	srcAdm       *kadm.Client
 	dst          *kgo.Client
 	dstAdm       *kadm.Client
-	metrics      *groupsMetrics
-	log          *service.Logger
 
 	topicIDs    map[string]kadm.TopicID
 	dstTopicIDs map[string]kadm.TopicID
@@ -636,7 +640,24 @@ func (m *groupsMigrator) Sync(ctx context.Context, getTopics func() []TopicMappi
 	return nil
 }
 
+func (m *groupsMigrator) setSource(src *kgo.Client, srcAdm *kadm.Client) {
+	m.mu.Lock()
+	defer m.mu.Unlock()
+	m.src = src
+	m.srcAdm = srcAdm
+}
+
+func (m *groupsMigrator) setDestination(dst *kgo.Client, dstAdm *kadm.Client, offsetHeader string) {
+	m.mu.Lock()
+	defer m.mu.Unlock()
+	m.dst = dst
+	m.dstAdm = dstAdm
+	m.offsetHeader = offsetHeader
+}
+
 func (m *groupsMigrator) enabled() bool {
+	m.mu.RLock()
+	defer m.mu.RUnlock()
 	return m.conf.Enabled && (m.srcAdm != nil || m.dstAdm != nil)
 }