diff --git a/src/faction/faction.service.ts b/src/faction/faction.service.ts
index bcaf4af49583471f614cad9287d4130c5a67aadf..4a574baa552ac205b509a50edc75c50072663410 100644
--- a/src/faction/faction.service.ts
+++ b/src/faction/faction.service.ts
@@ -102,12 +102,11 @@ export class FactionService {
       game: gameId,
     });
     // check if the authenticated person already belongs to a group
-    if (
-      await this.game_PersonRepository.findOne({
-        group: Not(null),
-        person: person,
-      })
-    ) {
+    let check = await this.game_PersonRepository.findOne({
+      where: { person: person, game: gameId },
+      relations: ['group'],
+    });
+    if (check.group) {
       throw new HttpException(
         'You already belong to a group!',
         HttpStatus.BAD_REQUEST,