diff --git a/kafka/consumer/group.py b/kafka/consumer/group.py
index 7c8b1cb2f..6a1ebc7cb 100644
--- a/kafka/consumer/group.py
+++ b/kafka/consumer/group.py
@@ -717,8 +717,21 @@ def _poll_once(self, timer, max_records, update_offsets=True):
         Returns:
             dict: Map of topic to list of records (may be empty).
         """
+        # Return any already-buffered records before doing coordinator work.
+        # This fixes poll(timeout_ms=0) returning empty when records are already
+        # available, and avoids returning records that might be stale if the
+        # coordinator signals a rebalance later in this same poll cycle.
+        records, partial = self._fetcher.fetched_records(max_records, update_offsets=update_offsets)
+        if records:
+            log.debug('poll: returning buffered records before coordinator poll')
+            if not partial:
+                log.debug("poll: Sending fetches")
+                futures = self._fetcher.send_fetches()
+                if len(futures):
+                    self._client.poll(timeout_ms=0)
+            return records
+
         if not self._coordinator.poll(timeout_ms=timer.timeout_ms):
-            log.debug('poll: timeout during coordinator.poll(); returning early')
             return {}
 
         has_all_fetch_positions = self._update_fetch_positions(timeout_ms=timer.timeout_ms)
diff --git a/test/test_consumer.py b/test/test_consumer.py
index 60d101d69..1c2c9d348 100644
--- a/test/test_consumer.py
+++ b/test/test_consumer.py
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+from unittest.mock import patch, MagicMock
 import pytest
 
 from kafka import KafkaConsumer, TopicPartition
@@ -48,3 +49,50 @@ def test_assign():
         consumer.subscribe(topics=['foo'])
     consumer.assign([])
     assert consumer.assignment() == set()
+
+
+def test_poll_timeout_zero_returns_buffered_records():
+    """Test that poll(timeout_ms=0) returns records already in the fetch buffer.
+
+    Regression test for https://github.com/dpkp/kafka-python/issues/2692
+    Buffered records are checked before coordinator.poll(), so they are
+    returned regardless of coordinator state (rebalance, timeout, etc.).
+    """
+    consumer = KafkaConsumer(api_version=(0, 10, 0))
+    tp = TopicPartition('test-topic', 0)
+    consumer.assign([tp])
+
+    mock_records = {tp: [MagicMock()]}
+
+    # Fetcher already has records buffered from a previous network poll.
+    # coordinator.poll() should never be reached in this path.
+    with patch.object(consumer._fetcher, 'fetched_records', return_value=(mock_records, False)), \
+         patch.object(consumer._fetcher, 'send_fetches', return_value=[]), \
+         patch.object(consumer._client, 'poll'), \
+         patch.object(consumer._coordinator, 'poll', return_value=False) as mock_coord_poll:
+
+        result = consumer.poll(timeout_ms=0)
+        assert result == mock_records, (
+            "poll(timeout_ms=0) should return buffered records "
+            "without needing a successful coordinator.poll()"
+        )
+        mock_coord_poll.assert_not_called()
+
+
+def test_poll_timeout_zero_returns_empty_when_no_buffered_records():
+    """Test that poll(timeout_ms=0) returns empty when no records are buffered.
+
+    Ensures that the non-blocking behavior is preserved -- if there are no
+    records in the buffer and coordinator times out, return empty immediately.
+    """
+    consumer = KafkaConsumer(api_version=(0, 10, 0))
+    tp = TopicPartition('test-topic', 0)
+    consumer.assign([tp])
+
+    with patch.object(consumer._fetcher, 'fetched_records', return_value=({}, False)), \
+         patch.object(consumer._coordinator, 'poll', return_value=False):
+
+        result = consumer.poll(timeout_ms=0)
+        assert result == {}, (
+            "poll(timeout_ms=0) should return empty dict when no records are buffered"
+        )