diff --git a/src/app/app.component.ts b/src/app/app.component.ts
index f2a9db21e..f78f01bd7 100644
--- a/src/app/app.component.ts
+++ b/src/app/app.component.ts
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ import {
 } from './store/states/app.state';
 import { filter, takeUntil } from 'rxjs/operators';
 import { ContentApiService } from './services/content-api.service';
-import { DiscoveryEntry } from '@alfresco/js-api';
+import { DiscoveryEntry, GroupsApi, Group } from '@alfresco/js-api';
 import { AppService } from './services/app.service';
 import { Subject } from 'rxjs';
 
@@ -129,7 +129,6 @@ export class AppComponent implements OnInit, OnDestroy {
         if (isReady) {
           this.loadRepositoryStatus();
           this.loadUserProfile();
-          // todo: load external auth-enabled plugins here
         }
       });
   }
@@ -149,9 +148,19 @@ export class AppComponent implements OnInit, OnDestroy {
       });
   }
 
-  private loadUserProfile() {
+  private async loadUserProfile() {
+    const groupsApi = new GroupsApi(this.alfrescoApiService.getInstance());
+    const paging = await groupsApi.listGroupMembershipsForPerson('-me-');
+    const groups: Group[] = [];
+
+    if (paging && paging.list && paging.list.entries) {
+      groups.push(...paging.list.entries.map(obj => obj.entry));
+    }
+
     this.contentApi.getPerson('-me-').subscribe(person => {
-      this.store.dispatch(new SetUserProfileAction(person.entry));
+      this.store.dispatch(
+        new SetUserProfileAction({ person: person.entry, groups })
+      );
     });
   }
 
diff --git a/src/app/store/actions/app.actions.ts b/src/app/store/actions/app.actions.ts
index f11c4eb76..a45dafa25 100644
--- a/src/app/store/actions/app.actions.ts
+++ b/src/app/store/actions/app.actions.ts
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@
  */
 
 import { Action } from '@ngrx/store';
-import { Node, Person } from '@alfresco/js-api';
+import { Node, Person, Group } from '@alfresco/js-api';
 import { AppState } from '../states';
 
 export const SET_INITIAL_STATE = 'SET_INITIAL_STATE';
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ export class SetCurrentUrlAction implements Action {
 
 export class SetUserProfileAction implements Action {
   readonly type = SET_USER_PROFILE;
-  constructor(public payload: Person) {}
+  constructor(public payload: { person: Person; groups: Group[] }) {}
 }
 
 export class ToggleInfoDrawerAction implements Action {
diff --git a/src/app/store/reducers/app.reducer.ts b/src/app/store/reducers/app.reducer.ts
index 7bbcdfb24..4f376f50c 100644
--- a/src/app/store/reducers/app.reducer.ts
+++ b/src/app/store/reducers/app.reducer.ts
@@ -131,7 +131,8 @@ function updateLanguagePicker(
 
 function updateUser(state: AppState, action: SetUserProfileAction): AppState {
   const newState = Object.assign({}, state);
-  const user = action.payload;
+  const user = action.payload.person;
+  const groups = [...(action.payload.groups || [])];
 
   const id = user.id;
   const firstName = user.firstName || '';
@@ -142,13 +143,15 @@ function updateUser(state: AppState, action: SetUserProfileAction): AppState {
   const capabilities = (<any>user).capabilities;
   const isAdmin = capabilities ? capabilities.isAdmin : true;
 
-  newState.user = {
+  // todo: remove <any>
+  newState.user = <any>{
     firstName,
     lastName,
     userName,
     initials,
     isAdmin,
-    id
+    id,
+    groups
   };
 
   return newState;