diff --git a/internal/elasticsearch/v8/search.go b/internal/elasticsearch/v8/search.go
index f0e003d..7b43ef0 100644
--- a/internal/elasticsearch/v8/search.go
+++ b/internal/elasticsearch/v8/search.go
@@ -41,7 +41,8 @@ func (c *Client) Search(ctx context.Context, index string, offset, size *int) (*
 	}
 
 	// Perform the request
-	ctx, _ = context.WithTimeout(ctx, 5*time.Second)
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(ctx, 5*time.Second)
+	defer cancel()
 	res, err := req.Do(ctx, c.es)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("error getting search response: %w", err)
diff --git a/source/config.go b/source/config.go
index dbedbdc..c79c520 100644
--- a/source/config.go
+++ b/source/config.go
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ type Config struct {
 	// SHA256 hex fingerprint given by Elasticsearch on first launch.
 	CertificateFingerprint string `json:"certificateFingerprint"`
 	// The name of the indexes to read data from.
-	Indexes []string `json:"indexes"`
+	Indexes []string `json:"indexes" validate:"required"`
 	// The number of items stored in bulk in the index. The minimum value is `1`, maximum value is `10000`.
 	BatchSize int `json:"batchSize" default:"1000"`
 	// This period is used by workers to poll for new data at regular intervals.
diff --git a/source/paramgen.go b/source/paramgen.go
index a00ce89..d9f45dd 100644
--- a/source/paramgen.go
+++ b/source/paramgen.go
@@ -59,7 +59,9 @@ func (Config) Parameters() map[string]config.Parameter {
 			Default:     "",
 			Description: "The name of the indexes to read data from.",
 			Type:        config.ParameterTypeString,
-			Validations: []config.Validation{},
+			Validations: []config.Validation{
+				config.ValidationRequired{},
+			},
 		},
 		ConfigPassword: {
 			Default:     "",
diff --git a/source/position.go b/source/position.go
index 6098682..0383fde 100644
--- a/source/position.go
+++ b/source/position.go
@@ -28,14 +28,15 @@ type Position struct {
 	IndexPositions map[string]int `json:"indexPositions"`
 }
 
+// NewPosition initializes a new position when sdk position is nil.
+func NewPosition() *Position {
+	return &Position{IndexPositions: make(map[string]int)}
+}
+
 // ParseSDKPosition parses opencdc.Position and returns Position.
 func ParseSDKPosition(position opencdc.Position) (*Position, error) {
 	var pos Position
 
-	if position == nil {
-		return nil, nil
-	}
-
 	if err := json.Unmarshal(position, &pos); err != nil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("unmarshal opencdc.Position into Position: %w", err)
 	}
diff --git a/source/position_test.go b/source/position_test.go
index 6c7b87b..d0bed6a 100644
--- a/source/position_test.go
+++ b/source/position_test.go
@@ -22,6 +22,13 @@ import (
 	"github.com/matryer/is"
 )
 
+func TestNewPosition(t *testing.T) {
+	is := is.New(t)
+	pos := NewPosition()
+	is.True(pos != nil)
+	is.Equal(len(pos.IndexPositions), 0)
+}
+
 func TestParseSDKPosition(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()
 
@@ -31,11 +38,6 @@ func TestParseSDKPosition(t *testing.T) {
 		wantPos *Position
 		wantErr error
 	}{
-		{
-			name:    "success_position_is_nil",
-			in:      nil,
-			wantPos: nil,
-		},
 		{
 			name: "failure_unmarshal_error",
 			in:   opencdc.Position("invalid"),
@@ -75,22 +77,22 @@ func TestMarshal(t *testing.T) {
 
 	tests := []struct {
 		name string
-		in   Position
+		in   *Position
 		want opencdc.Position
 	}{
 		{
 			name: "successful marshal",
-			in:   Position{IndexPositions: map[string]int{"a": 1, "b": 2}},
+			in:   &Position{IndexPositions: map[string]int{"a": 1, "b": 2}},
 			want: []byte(`{"indexPositions":{"a":1,"b":2}}`),
 		},
 		{
 			name: "marshal empty map",
-			in:   Position{IndexPositions: map[string]int{}},
+			in:   &Position{IndexPositions: map[string]int{}},
 			want: []byte(`{"indexPositions":{}}`),
 		},
 		{
 			name: "marshal with nil map",
-			in:   Position{IndexPositions: nil},
+			in:   &Position{IndexPositions: nil},
 			want: []byte(`{"indexPositions":null}`),
 		},
 	}
@@ -111,24 +113,24 @@ func TestUpdate(t *testing.T) {
 
 	tests := []struct {
 		name        string
-		in          Position
+		in          *Position
 		updateIndex string
 		updatePos   int
-		want        Position
+		want        *Position
 	}{
 		{
 			name:        "update existing index",
-			in:          Position{IndexPositions: map[string]int{"a": 1, "b": 2}},
+			in:          &Position{IndexPositions: map[string]int{"a": 1, "b": 2}},
 			updateIndex: "a",
 			updatePos:   10,
-			want:        Position{IndexPositions: map[string]int{"a": 10, "b": 2}},
+			want:        &Position{IndexPositions: map[string]int{"a": 10, "b": 2}},
 		},
 		{
 			name:        "update new index",
-			in:          Position{IndexPositions: map[string]int{"a": 1}},
+			in:          &Position{IndexPositions: map[string]int{"a": 1}},
 			updateIndex: "b",
 			updatePos:   5,
-			want:        Position{IndexPositions: map[string]int{"a": 1, "b": 5}},
+			want:        &Position{IndexPositions: map[string]int{"a": 1, "b": 5}},
 		},
 	}
 	for _, tt := range tests {
diff --git a/source/source.go b/source/source.go
index 18939d4..c2da321 100644
--- a/source/source.go
+++ b/source/source.go
@@ -66,9 +66,7 @@ func (s *Source) Open(ctx context.Context, position opencdc.Position) error {
 	var err error
 
 	if position == nil {
-		s.position = &Position{
-			IndexPositions: make(map[string]int),
-		}
+		s.position = NewPosition()
 	} else {
 		s.position, err = ParseSDKPosition(position)
 		if err != nil {
@@ -93,7 +91,7 @@ func (s *Source) Open(ctx context.Context, position opencdc.Position) error {
 
 	for _, index := range s.config.Indexes {
 		s.wg.Add(1)
-		offset, _ := s.position.IndexPositions[index]
+		offset := s.position.IndexPositions[index]
 
 		// a new worker for a new index
 		NewWorker(ctx, s, index, offset)
@@ -127,9 +125,7 @@ func (s *Source) Ack(ctx context.Context, position opencdc.Position) error {
 // Teardown gracefully shutdown connector.
 func (s *Source) Teardown(ctx context.Context) error {
 	sdk.Logger(ctx).Info().Msg("Tearing down the ElasticSearch Source")
-
 	close(s.shutdown)
-
 	// wait for goroutines to finish
 	s.wg.Wait()
 	// close the read channel for write