diff --git a/pkg/adapters/common/core_proxy.go b/pkg/adapters/common/core_proxy.go
index 9582f33..20e1a52 100644
--- a/pkg/adapters/common/core_proxy.go
+++ b/pkg/adapters/common/core_proxy.go
@@ -99,6 +99,28 @@
 	topic := kafka.Topic{Name: ap.coreTopic}
 	replyToTopic := ap.getAdapterTopic()
 	args := make([]*kafka.KVArg, 2)
+
+	if adapter.TotalReplicas == 0 && adapter.CurrentReplica != 0 {
+		log.Fatal("totalReplicas can't be 0, since you're here you have at least one")
+	}
+
+	if adapter.CurrentReplica == 0 && adapter.TotalReplicas != 0 {
+		log.Fatal("currentReplica can't be 0, it has to start from 1")
+	}
+
+	if adapter.CurrentReplica == 0 && adapter.TotalReplicas == 0 {
+		// if the adapter is not setting these fields they default to 0,
+		// in that case it means the adapter is not ready to be scaled and thus it defaults
+		// to a single instance
+		adapter.CurrentReplica = 1
+		adapter.TotalReplicas = 1
+	}
+
+	if adapter.CurrentReplica > adapter.TotalReplicas {
+		log.Fatalf("CurrentReplica (%d) can't be greater than TotalReplicas (%d)",
+			adapter.CurrentReplica, adapter.TotalReplicas)
+	}
+
 	args[0] = &kafka.KVArg{
 		Key:   "adapter",
 		Value: adapter,