diff --git a/backend/src/middleware/permissionsMiddleware.js b/backend/src/middleware/permissionsMiddleware.js
index d77363c29..3d698810e 100644
--- a/backend/src/middleware/permissionsMiddleware.js
+++ b/backend/src/middleware/permissionsMiddleware.js
@@ -302,6 +302,7 @@ export default shield(
       searchResults: allow,
       searchPosts: allow,
       searchUsers: allow,
+      searchGroups: allow,
       searchHashtags: allow,
       embed: allow,
       Category: allow,
diff --git a/backend/src/schema/resolvers/searches.js b/backend/src/schema/resolvers/searches.js
index c0354731b..c72be11be 100644
--- a/backend/src/schema/resolvers/searches.js
+++ b/backend/src/schema/resolvers/searches.js
@@ -201,6 +201,8 @@ export default {
     },
     searchGroups: async (_parent, args, context, _resolveInfo) => {
       const { query, groupsOffset, firstGroups } = args
+      let userId = null
+      if (context.user) userId = context.user.id
       return {
         groupCount: getSearchResults(
           context,
@@ -208,6 +210,7 @@ export default {
           {
             query: queryString(query),
             skip: 0,
+            userId,
           },
           countResultCallback,
         ),
@@ -215,6 +218,7 @@ export default {
           query: queryString(query),
           skip: groupsOffset,
           limit: firstGroups,
+          userId,
         }),
       }
     },