diff --git a/pkg/stanza/fileconsumer/internal/tracker/tracker.go b/pkg/stanza/fileconsumer/internal/tracker/tracker.go
index 7c203a3ced39..bc4fb9e7088b 100644
--- a/pkg/stanza/fileconsumer/internal/tracker/tracker.go
+++ b/pkg/stanza/fileconsumer/internal/tracker/tracker.go
@@ -65,24 +65,8 @@ func NewFileTracker(set component.TelemetrySettings, maxBatchFiles int, pollsToA
 		knownFiles[i] = fileset.New[*reader.Metadata](maxBatchFiles)
 	}
 	set.Logger = set.Logger.With(zap.String("tracker", "fileTracker"))
-	archiveIndex := 0
-	if persister != nil && pollsToArchive > 0 {
-		byteIndex, err := persister.Get(context.Background(), archiveIndexKey)
-		if err != nil {
-			set.Logger.Error("error while reading the archiveIndexKey. Starting from 0", zap.Error(err))
-		}
-		archiveIndex, err = byteToIndex(byteIndex)
-		if err != nil {
-			set.Logger.Error("error getting read index. Starting from 0", zap.Error(err))
-			archiveIndex = 0
-		} else if archiveIndex < 0 || archiveIndex >= pollsToArchive {
-			// safety check. It can happen if `polls_to_archive` was changed.
-			// It's best if we reset the index or else we might end up writing invalid keys
-			set.Logger.Warn("the read index was found, but it exceeds the bounds. Starting from 0")
-			archiveIndex = 0
-		}
-	}
-	return &fileTracker{
+
+	t := &fileTracker{
 		set:               set,
 		maxBatchFiles:     maxBatchFiles,
 		currentPollFiles:  fileset.New[*reader.Reader](maxBatchFiles),
@@ -90,8 +74,11 @@ func NewFileTracker(set component.TelemetrySettings, maxBatchFiles int, pollsToA
 		knownFiles:        knownFiles,
 		pollsToArchive:    pollsToArchive,
 		persister:         persister,
-		archiveIndex:      archiveIndex,
+		archiveIndex:      0,
 	}
+	t.restoreArchiveIndex()
+
+	return t
 }
 
 func (t *fileTracker) Add(reader *reader.Reader) {
@@ -168,6 +155,26 @@ func (t *fileTracker) TotalReaders() int {
 	return total
 }
 
+func (t *fileTracker) restoreArchiveIndex() {
+	if !t.archiveEnabled() {
+		return
+	}
+	var archiveIndex = 0
+	byteIndex, err := t.persister.Get(context.Background(), archiveIndexKey)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.set.Logger.Error("error while reading the archiveIndexKey. Starting from 0", zap.Error(err))
+	}
+	archiveIndex, err = byteToIndex(byteIndex)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.set.Logger.Error("error getting read index. Starting from 0", zap.Error(err))
+	} else if archiveIndex < 0 || archiveIndex >= t.pollsToArchive {
+		// safety check. It can happen if `polls_to_archive` was changed.
+		// It's best if we reset the index or else we might end up writing invalid keys
+		t.set.Logger.Warn("the read index was found, but it exceeds the bounds. Starting from 0")
+	}
+	t.archiveIndex = archiveIndex
+}
+
 func (t *fileTracker) archive(metadata *fileset.Fileset[*reader.Metadata]) {
 	// We make use of a ring buffer, where each set of files is stored under a specific index.
 	// Instead of discarding knownFiles[2], write it to the next index and eventually roll over.
@@ -186,7 +193,7 @@ func (t *fileTracker) archive(metadata *fileset.Fileset[*reader.Metadata]) {
 	//                   start
 	//                   index
 
-	if t.pollsToArchive <= 0 || t.persister == nil {
+	if !t.archiveEnabled() {
 		return
 	}
 	index := t.archiveIndex
@@ -215,6 +222,10 @@ func (t *fileTracker) writeArchive(index int, rmds *fileset.Fileset[*reader.Meta
 	return checkpoint.SaveKey(context.Background(), t.persister, rmds.Get(), key, ops...)
 }
 
+func (t *fileTracker) archiveEnabled() bool {
+	return t.pollsToArchive > 0 && t.persister != nil
+}
+
 // FindFiles goes through archive, one fileset at a time and tries to match all fingerprints against that loaded set.
 func (t *fileTracker) FindFiles(fps []*fingerprint.Fingerprint) []*reader.Metadata {
 	// To minimize disk access, we first access the index, then review unmatched files and update the metadata, if found.