diff --git a/pulsar-flink-connector/src/main/java/org/apache/flink/streaming/connectors/pulsar/FlinkPulsarSource.java b/pulsar-flink-connector/src/main/java/org/apache/flink/streaming/connectors/pulsar/FlinkPulsarSource.java
index 44eb5f1d..11e3bcbc 100644
--- a/pulsar-flink-connector/src/main/java/org/apache/flink/streaming/connectors/pulsar/FlinkPulsarSource.java
+++ b/pulsar-flink-connector/src/main/java/org/apache/flink/streaming/connectors/pulsar/FlinkPulsarSource.java
@@ -163,11 +163,10 @@ public class FlinkPulsarSource<T> extends RichParallelSourceFunction<T>
     private String externalSubscriptionName;
 
     /**
-     * The subscription position to use when subscription does not exist (default is {@link
-     * MessageId#latest}); Only relevant when startup mode is {@link
-     * StartupMode#EXTERNAL_SUBSCRIPTION}.
+     * The subscription position to use when subscription does not exist; Only relevant when startup
+     * mode is {@link StartupMode#EXTERNAL_SUBSCRIPTION}.
      */
-    private MessageId subscriptionPosition = MessageId.latest;
+    private MessageId subscriptionPosition;
 
     // TODO: remove this when MessageId is serializable itself.
     // see: https://github.com/apache/pulsar/pull/6064
diff --git a/pulsar-flink-connector/src/main/java/org/apache/flink/streaming/connectors/pulsar/internal/PulsarMetadataReader.java b/pulsar-flink-connector/src/main/java/org/apache/flink/streaming/connectors/pulsar/internal/PulsarMetadataReader.java
index 4cf5790f..a03f8962 100644
--- a/pulsar-flink-connector/src/main/java/org/apache/flink/streaming/connectors/pulsar/internal/PulsarMetadataReader.java
+++ b/pulsar-flink-connector/src/main/java/org/apache/flink/streaming/connectors/pulsar/internal/PulsarMetadataReader.java
@@ -386,6 +386,9 @@ public MessageId getPositionFromSubscription(TopicRange topic, MessageId default
             String subscriptionName = subscriptionNameFrom(topic);
             TopicStats topicStats = admin.topics().getStats(topic.getTopic());
             if (topicStats.getSubscriptions().containsKey(subscriptionName)) {
+                if (defaultPosition != null) {
+                    return defaultPosition;
+                }
                 SubscriptionStats subStats = topicStats.getSubscriptions().get(subscriptionName);
                 if (subStats.getConsumers().size() != 0) {
                     throw new IllegalStateException(
@@ -411,8 +414,10 @@ public MessageId getPositionFromSubscription(TopicRange topic, MessageId default
                 }
             } else {
                 // create sub on topic
+                MessageId consumePosition =
+                        defaultPosition == null ? MessageId.latest : defaultPosition;
                 admin.topics()
-                        .createSubscription(topic.getTopic(), subscriptionName, defaultPosition);
+                        .createSubscription(topic.getTopic(), subscriptionName, consumePosition);
                 return defaultPosition;
             }
         } catch (PulsarAdminException | UnsupportedEncodingException e) {