diff --git a/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/security/sync/ChainingUserRegistrySynchronizer.java b/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/security/sync/ChainingUserRegistrySynchronizer.java
index 5d762e4240..1c75e679b4 100644
--- a/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/security/sync/ChainingUserRegistrySynchronizer.java
+++ b/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/security/sync/ChainingUserRegistrySynchronizer.java
@@ -1427,7 +1427,7 @@ public class ChainingUserRegistrySynchronizer extends AbstractLifecycleBean
             {
                // If we got back some groups, we have to cross reference them with the set of known authorities
                 // MNT-9711 fix. If allowDeletions is false, there is no need to pull all users and all groups from LDAP during the full synchronization.
-               if (allowDeletions && (isFullSync || !this.groupParentAssocsToDelete.isEmpty()))
+               if ((allowDeletions || !groupsToCreate.isEmpty()) && (isFullSync || !this.groupParentAssocsToDelete.isEmpty()))
                {
                     final Set<String> allZonePersons = newPersonSet();
                     final Set<String> allZoneGroups = new TreeSet<String>();