diff --git a/e2e/topic.go b/e2e/topic.go
index 13e70a3..031782d 100644
--- a/e2e/topic.go
+++ b/e2e/topic.go
@@ -27,14 +27,14 @@ func (s *Service) validateManagementTopic(ctx context.Context) error {
 		return fmt.Errorf("validateManagementTopic cannot get metadata of e2e topic: %w", err)
 	}
 
-	topicExists := false
-	if len(meta.Topics) == 1 {
-		err := kerr.ErrorForCode(meta.Topics[0].ErrorCode)
-		if err != nil {
-			return fmt.Errorf("failed to get metadata for end-to-end topic: %w", err)
-		}
-
-		topicExists = true
+	// UnknownTopicOrPartition (Error code 3) means that the topic does not exist.
+	// If the topic exists, but there's an error, then this should result in a fail
+	// When the topic doesn't exist, continue to create it
+	err = kerr.TypedErrorForCode(meta.Topics[0].ErrorCode)
+	topicExists := err != kerr.UnknownTopicOrPartition
+
+	if err != nil && topicExists {
+		return fmt.Errorf("failed to get metadata for end-to-end topic: %w", err)
 	}
 
 	// Create topic if it doesn't exist