diff --git a/src/Umbraco.Core/Persistence/Repositories/Implement/UserGroupRepository.cs b/src/Umbraco.Core/Persistence/Repositories/Implement/UserGroupRepository.cs
index 3935027ada..3b247950e4 100644
--- a/src/Umbraco.Core/Persistence/Repositories/Implement/UserGroupRepository.cs
+++ b/src/Umbraco.Core/Persistence/Repositories/Implement/UserGroupRepository.cs
@@ -411,8 +411,7 @@ namespace Umbraco.Core.Persistence.Repositories.Implement
                     return;
 
                 //now the user association
-                RemoveAllUsersFromGroup(entity.UserGroup.Id);
-                AddUsersToGroup(entity.UserGroup.Id, entity.UserIds);
+                RefreshUsersInGroup(entity.UserGroup.Id, entity.UserIds);
             }
 
             protected override void PersistUpdatedItem(UserGroupWithUsers entity)
@@ -424,8 +423,18 @@ namespace Umbraco.Core.Persistence.Repositories.Implement
                     return;
 
                 //now the user association
-                RemoveAllUsersFromGroup(entity.UserGroup.Id);
-                AddUsersToGroup(entity.UserGroup.Id, entity.UserIds);
+                RefreshUsersInGroup(entity.UserGroup.Id, entity.UserIds);
+            }
+
+            /// <summary>
+            /// Adds a set of users to a group, first removing any that exist
+            /// </summary>
+            /// <param name="groupId">Id of group</param>
+            /// <param name="userIds">Ids of users</param>
+            private void RefreshUsersInGroup(int groupId, int[] userIds)
+            {
+                RemoveAllUsersFromGroup(groupId);
+                AddUsersToGroup(groupId, userIds);
             }
 
             /// <summary>
@@ -444,7 +453,6 @@ namespace Umbraco.Core.Persistence.Repositories.Implement
             /// <param name="userIds">Ids of users</param>
             private void AddUsersToGroup(int groupId, int[] userIds)
             {
-                // TODO: Check if the user exists?
                 foreach (var userId in userIds)
                 {
                     var dto = new User2UserGroupDto
diff --git a/src/Umbraco.Web/Editors/UserGroupsController.cs b/src/Umbraco.Web/Editors/UserGroupsController.cs
index e79cfd625c..1b64722735 100644
--- a/src/Umbraco.Web/Editors/UserGroupsController.cs
+++ b/src/Umbraco.Web/Editors/UserGroupsController.cs
@@ -50,13 +50,8 @@ namespace Umbraco.Web.Editors
             if (isAuthorized == false)
                 throw new HttpResponseException(Request.CreateResponse(HttpStatusCode.Unauthorized, isAuthorized.Result));
 
-            //current user needs to be added to a new group if not an admin (possibly only if no other users are added?) to avoid a 401
-            if(!Security.CurrentUser.IsAdmin() && (userGroupSave.Id == null || Convert.ToInt32(userGroupSave.Id) >= 0)/* && !userGroupSave.Users.Any() */)
-            {
-                var userIds = userGroupSave.Users.ToList();
-                userIds.Add(Security.CurrentUser.Id);
-                userGroupSave.Users = userIds;
-            }
+            //need to ensure current user is in a group if not an admin to avoid a 401
+            EnsureNonAdminUserIsInSavedUserGroup(userGroupSave);
 
             //save the group
             Services.UserService.Save(userGroupSave.PersistedUserGroup, userGroupSave.Users.ToArray());
@@ -87,6 +82,23 @@ namespace Umbraco.Web.Editors
             return display;
         }
 
+        private void EnsureNonAdminUserIsInSavedUserGroup(UserGroupSave userGroupSave)
+        {
+            if (Security.CurrentUser.IsAdmin())
+            {
+                return;
+            }
+
+            var userIds = userGroupSave.Users.ToList();
+            if (userIds.Contains(Security.CurrentUser.Id))
+            {
+                return;
+            }
+
+            userIds.Add(Security.CurrentUser.Id);
+            userGroupSave.Users = userIds;
+        }
+
         /// <summary>
         /// Returns the scaffold for creating a new user group
         /// </summary>