diff --git a/src/api/api_database.cpp b/src/api/api_database.cpp
index 27a05c30..cde20450 100644
--- a/src/api/api_database.cpp
+++ b/src/api/api_database.cpp
@@ -163,7 +163,12 @@ std::vector<Message> ApiDatabase::GetGeneralMessages(
 
 std::unordered_set<Group> ApiDatabase::GetGroups(bool includeUserMetadata) const {
   if (!includeUserMetadata) {
-    return masterlist_.Groups();
+    auto groups = masterlist_.Groups();
+
+    //Insert the default group in case the masterlist hasn't been loaded.
+    groups.insert(Group());
+
+    return groups;
   }
 
   std::unordered_set<Group> mergedGroups;
diff --git a/src/tests/api/interface/database_interface_test.h b/src/tests/api/interface/database_interface_test.h
index 06e998a0..f63fc1c2 100644
--- a/src/tests/api/interface/database_interface_test.h
+++ b/src/tests/api/interface/database_interface_test.h
@@ -460,6 +460,16 @@ TEST_P(DatabaseInterfaceTest,
   EXPECT_EQ(std::unordered_set<std::string>({ "group1" }), groups.find(Group("group2"))->GetAfterGroups());
 }
 
+TEST_P(DatabaseInterfaceTest,
+  getGroupsShouldReturnDefaultGroupIfNoMasterlistIsLoadedAndUserlistMetadataIsNotIncluded) {
+  auto groups = db_->GetGroups(false);
+
+  EXPECT_EQ(1, groups.size());
+
+  EXPECT_EQ("default", groups.begin()->GetName());
+  EXPECT_TRUE(groups.begin()->GetAfterGroups().empty());
+}
+
 TEST_P(DatabaseInterfaceTest,
   getUserGroupsShouldReturnOnlyGroupMetadataFromTheUserlist) {
   ASSERT_NO_THROW(GenerateMasterlist());