diff --git a/scheduler/pkg/kafka/gateway/infer.go b/scheduler/pkg/kafka/gateway/infer.go
index 0134629715..f9d331ccd7 100644
--- a/scheduler/pkg/kafka/gateway/infer.go
+++ b/scheduler/pkg/kafka/gateway/infer.go
@@ -77,9 +77,25 @@ func GetIntConfigMapValue(configMap kafka.ConfigMap, key string, defaultValue in
 		return defaultValue, nil
 	}
 
-	value, err := strconv.Atoi(configMapValue.(string))
+	if configMapValueInt, ok := configMapValue.(int); ok {
+		if configMapValueInt < 0 {
+			return -1, fmt.Errorf("%s: %d must not be negative", key, configMapValueInt)
+		}
+		return configMapValueInt, nil
+	}
+
+	configMapValueStr, ok := configMapValue.(string)
+	if !ok {
+		return defaultValue, fmt.Errorf("%s key has wrong type: %T", key, configMapValue)
+	}
+
+	value, err := strconv.Atoi(configMapValueStr)
 	if err != nil {
-		return 0, err
+		return -1, fmt.Errorf("invalid value %s in %s with error: %v", configMapValueStr, key, err)
+	}
+
+	if value < 0 {
+		return -1, fmt.Errorf("%s: %d must be bigger than 0", key, value)
 	}
 
 	return value, nil
@@ -96,19 +112,19 @@ func NewInferKafkaHandler(
 ) (*InferKafkaHandler, error) {
 	defaultReplicationFactor, err := util.GetIntEnvar(envDefaultReplicationFactor, defaultReplicationFactor)
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("error getting default replication factor: %v", err)
 	}
 	replicationFactor, err := GetIntConfigMapValue(topicsConfigMap, replicationFactorKey, defaultReplicationFactor)
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("invalid Kafka topic configuration: %v", err)
 	}
 	defaultNumPartitions, err := util.GetIntEnvar(envDefaultNumPartitions, defaultNumPartitions)
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("error getting default number of partitions: %v", err)
 	}
 	numPartitions, err := GetIntConfigMapValue(topicsConfigMap, numPartitionsKey, defaultNumPartitions)
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("invalid Kafka topic configuration: %w", err)
 	}
 	tlsClientOptions, err := util.CreateTLSClientOptions()
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/scheduler/pkg/kafka/gateway/infer_test.go b/scheduler/pkg/kafka/gateway/infer_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..838115466d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scheduler/pkg/kafka/gateway/infer_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,94 @@
+/*
+Copyright (c) 2024 Seldon Technologies Ltd.
+
+Use of this software is governed by
+(1) the license included in the LICENSE file or
+(2) if the license included in the LICENSE file is the Business Source License 1.1,
+the Change License after the Change Date as each is defined in accordance with the LICENSE file.
+*/
+
+package gateway
+
+import (
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/confluentinc/confluent-kafka-go/v2/kafka"
+	. "github.com/onsi/gomega"
+)
+
+func TestGetIntConfigMapValue(t *testing.T) {
+	g := NewGomegaWithT(t)
+
+	type test struct {
+		name         string
+		configMap    kafka.ConfigMap
+		key          string
+		defaultValue int
+		wantValue    int
+		wantError    bool
+	}
+
+	tests := []test{
+		{
+			name:         "success: string",
+			configMap:    kafka.ConfigMap{"replicationFactor": "5"},
+			key:          replicationFactorKey,
+			defaultValue: 0,
+			wantValue:    5,
+			wantError:    false,
+		},
+		{
+			name:         "fail: negative string",
+			configMap:    kafka.ConfigMap{"replicationFactor": "-5"},
+			key:          replicationFactorKey,
+			defaultValue: 0,
+			wantValue:    0,
+			wantError:    true,
+		},
+		{
+			name:         "fail: float string value",
+			configMap:    kafka.ConfigMap{"replicationFactor": "5.0"},
+			key:          replicationFactorKey,
+			defaultValue: 0,
+			wantValue:    0,
+			wantError:    true,
+		},
+		{
+			name:         "fail: string value",
+			configMap:    kafka.ConfigMap{"replicationFactor": "---"},
+			key:          replicationFactorKey,
+			defaultValue: 0,
+			wantValue:    0,
+			wantError:    true,
+		},
+		{
+			name:         "success: integer",
+			configMap:    kafka.ConfigMap{"replicationFactor": 5},
+			key:          replicationFactorKey,
+			defaultValue: 0,
+			wantValue:    5,
+			wantError:    false,
+		},
+		{
+			name:         "fail: negative integer",
+			configMap:    kafka.ConfigMap{"replicationFactor": -5},
+			key:          replicationFactorKey,
+			defaultValue: 0,
+			wantValue:    0,
+			wantError:    true,
+		},
+	}
+
+	for _, test := range tests {
+		t.Run(test.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			gotInt, err := GetIntConfigMapValue(test.configMap, test.key, test.defaultValue)
+			if test.wantError {
+				g.Expect(err).ToNot(BeNil())
+			} else {
+				g.Expect(gotInt).To(Equal(test.wantValue))
+			}
+		})
+
+	}
+
+}