diff --git a/src/Umbraco.Web.UI.Client/src/less/components/umb-list.less b/src/Umbraco.Web.UI.Client/src/less/components/umb-list.less
index be63bb3a9c..3d16b76167 100644
--- a/src/Umbraco.Web.UI.Client/src/less/components/umb-list.less
+++ b/src/Umbraco.Web.UI.Client/src/less/components/umb-list.less
@@ -10,6 +10,11 @@ a.umb-list-item:focus {
     text-decoration: none;
 }
 
+.umb-list-item--disabled {
+    cursor: not-allowed;
+    opacity: 0.6;
+}
+
 .umb-list-item:hover .umb-list-checkbox,
 .umb-list-item--selected .umb-list-checkbox {
     opacity: 1;
diff --git a/src/Umbraco.Web.UI.Client/src/views/users/views/groups/groups.controller.js b/src/Umbraco.Web.UI.Client/src/views/users/views/groups/groups.controller.js
index 92d70765b0..52ddda140d 100644
--- a/src/Umbraco.Web.UI.Client/src/views/users/views/groups/groups.controller.js
+++ b/src/Umbraco.Web.UI.Client/src/views/users/views/groups/groups.controller.js
@@ -24,9 +24,12 @@
                 currentUser = user;
                 // Get usergroups
                 userGroupsResource.getUserGroups({ onlyCurrentUserGroups: false }).then(function (userGroups) {
+
+                    // only allow editing and selection if user is member of the group or admin
                     vm.userGroups = _.map(userGroups, function (ug) {
-                        return { group: ug, isMember: user.userGroups.indexOf(ug.alias) !== -1}  
+                        return { group: ug, hasAccess: user.userGroups.indexOf(ug.alias) !== -1 || user.userGroups.indexOf("admin") !== -1}
                     });
+
                     vm.loading = false;
                 });
             });
@@ -42,7 +45,8 @@
 
         function clickUserGroup(userGroup) {
 
-            if (currentUser.userGroups.indexOf(userGroup.group.alias) === -1) {
+            // only allow editing if user is member of the group or admin
+            if (currentUser.userGroups.indexOf(userGroup.group.alias) === -1 && currentUser.userGroups.indexOf("admin") === -1) {
                 return;
             }
 
@@ -55,7 +59,8 @@
 
         function selectUserGroup(userGroup, selection, event) {
 
-            if (currentUser.userGroups.indexOf(userGroup.group.alias) === -1) {
+            // only allow selection if user is member of the group or admin
+            if (currentUser.userGroups.indexOf(userGroup.group.alias) === -1 && currentUser.userGroups.indexOf("admin") === -1) {
                 return;
             }
 
diff --git a/src/Umbraco.Web.UI.Client/src/views/users/views/groups/groups.html b/src/Umbraco.Web.UI.Client/src/views/users/views/groups/groups.html
index 4c54ce88b1..dddd931b1d 100644
--- a/src/Umbraco.Web.UI.Client/src/views/users/views/groups/groups.html
+++ b/src/Umbraco.Web.UI.Client/src/views/users/views/groups/groups.html
@@ -68,8 +68,8 @@
     </div>
 
     <div class="umb-list" ng-if="!vm.loading" ng-switch="">
-        <div ng-repeat="group in vm.userGroups | filter:vm.filter" ng-switch="group.isMember">
-            <div class="umb-list-item" ng-switch-when="false">
+        <div ng-repeat="group in vm.userGroups | filter:vm.filter" ng-switch="group.hasAccess">
+            <div class="umb-list-item umb-list-item--disabled" ng-switch-when="false">
                 <div style="margin-right: 25px;">
                     <div class="umb-list-checkbox"></div>
                 </div>
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@
                     content-start-node="group.group.contentStartNode"
                     media-start-node="group.group.mediaStartNode">
                 </umb-user-group-preview>
-            </a>    
+            </a>
         </div>
     </div>