diff --git a/app/javascript/gabsocial/actions/groups.js b/app/javascript/gabsocial/actions/groups.js
index 1c370ca6..8d27e8e7 100644
--- a/app/javascript/gabsocial/actions/groups.js
+++ b/app/javascript/gabsocial/actions/groups.js
@@ -133,20 +133,27 @@ export function fetchGroupRelationshipsFail(error) {
 };
 
 export const fetchGroups = (tab) => (dispatch, getState) => {
-  if (!me) return;
+  if (!me) return
 
-  dispatch(fetchGroupsRequest());
+  // Don't refetch or fetch when loading
+  const isLoading = getState().getIn(['group_lists', tab, 'loading'])
+  const isFetched = getState().getIn(['group_lists', tab, 'fetched'])
+
+  if (isLoading || isFetched) return
+
+  dispatch(fetchGroupsRequest(tab))
 
   api(getState).get('/api/v1/groups?tab=' + tab)
     .then(({ data }) => {
-      dispatch(fetchGroupsSuccess(data, tab));
-      dispatch(fetchGroupRelationships(data.map(item => item.id)));
+      dispatch(fetchGroupsSuccess(data, tab))
+      dispatch(fetchGroupRelationships(data.map(item => item.id)))
     })
-    .catch(err => dispatch(fetchGroupsFail(err)));
-};
+    .catch((err) => dispatch(fetchGroupsFail(err, tab)))
+}
 
-export const fetchGroupsRequest = () => ({
+export const fetchGroupsRequest = (tab) => ({
   type: GROUPS_FETCH_REQUEST,
+  tab,
 });
 
 export const fetchGroupsSuccess = (groups, tab) => ({
@@ -155,9 +162,10 @@ export const fetchGroupsSuccess = (groups, tab) => ({
   tab,
 });
 
-export const fetchGroupsFail = error => ({
+export const fetchGroupsFail = (error, tab) => ({
   type: GROUPS_FETCH_FAIL,
   error,
+  tab,
 });
 
 export function joinGroup(id) {
diff --git a/app/javascript/gabsocial/components/panel/groups_panel.js b/app/javascript/gabsocial/components/panel/groups_panel.js
index b9c12054..f583a711 100644
--- a/app/javascript/gabsocial/components/panel/groups_panel.js
+++ b/app/javascript/gabsocial/components/panel/groups_panel.js
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ const messages = defineMessages({
 })
 
 const mapStateToProps = (state) => ({
-  groupIds: state.getIn(['group_lists', 'member']),
+  groupIds: state.getIn(['group_lists', 'member', 'items']),
 })
 
 const mapDispatchToProps = (dispatch) => ({
diff --git a/app/javascript/gabsocial/features/groups_collection.js b/app/javascript/gabsocial/features/groups_collection.js
index 6a31d39d..1f2585a2 100644
--- a/app/javascript/gabsocial/features/groups_collection.js
+++ b/app/javascript/gabsocial/features/groups_collection.js
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import ImmutablePropTypes from 'react-immutable-proptypes'
 import ImmutablePureComponent from 'react-immutable-pure-component'
+import { FormattedMessage } from 'react-intl'
 import { fetchGroups } from '../actions/groups'
 import { BREAKPOINT_EXTRA_SMALL } from '../constants'
 import Responsive from './ui/util/responsive_component'
@@ -8,7 +9,9 @@ import ScrollableList from '../components/scrollable_list'
 import GroupCollectionItem from '../components/group_collection_item'
 
 const mapStateToProps = (state, { activeTab }) => ({
-	groupIds: state.getIn(['group_lists', activeTab]),
+	groupIds: state.getIn(['group_lists', activeTab, 'items']),
+	isFetched: state.getIn(['group_lists', activeTab, 'isFetched']),
+	isLoading: state.getIn(['group_lists', activeTab, 'isLoading']),
 })
 
 export default
@@ -19,6 +22,8 @@ class GroupsCollection extends ImmutablePureComponent {
 		activeTab: PropTypes.string.isRequired,
 		dispatch: PropTypes.func.isRequired,
 		groupIds: ImmutablePropTypes.list,
+		isFetched: PropTypes.bool.isRequired,
+		isLoading: PropTypes.bool.isRequired,
 	}
 
 	componentWillMount() {
@@ -32,10 +37,16 @@ class GroupsCollection extends ImmutablePureComponent {
 	}
 
 	render() {
-		const { groupIds } = this.props
+		const {
+			groupIds,
+			isLoading,
+			isFetched,
+		} = this.props
 
-		if (!groupIds) {
+		if (isLoading && groupIds.size === 0) {
 			return <ColumnIndicator type='loading' />
+		} else if (isFetched && groupIds.size === 0) {
+			return <ColumnIndicator type='error' message={<FormattedMessage id='groups.empty' defaultMessage='There are no groups to display' />} />
 		}
 
 		const halfCount = parseInt(groupIds.size / 2)
diff --git a/app/javascript/gabsocial/reducers/group_lists.js b/app/javascript/gabsocial/reducers/group_lists.js
index ae10fa92..a65e8c32 100644
--- a/app/javascript/gabsocial/reducers/group_lists.js
+++ b/app/javascript/gabsocial/reducers/group_lists.js
@@ -1,22 +1,55 @@
 import { Map as ImmutableMap, List as ImmutableList } from 'immutable'
-import { GROUPS_FETCH_SUCCESS } from '../actions/groups'
+import {
+  GROUPS_FETCH_REQUEST,
+  GROUPS_FETCH_SUCCESS,
+  GROUPS_FETCH_FAIL,
+} from '../actions/groups'
+
+const tabs = ['new', 'featured', 'member', 'admin']
 
 const initialState = ImmutableMap({
-  new: ImmutableList(),
-  featured: ImmutableList(),
-  member: ImmutableList(),
-  admin: ImmutableList(),
+  new: ImmutableMap({
+    fetched: false,
+    loading: false,
+    items: ImmutableList(),
+  }),
+  featured: ImmutableMap({
+    fetched: false,
+    loading: false,
+    items: ImmutableList(),
+  }),
+  member: ImmutableMap({
+    fetched: false,
+    loading: false,
+    items: ImmutableList(),
+  }),
+  admin: ImmutableMap({
+    fetched: false,
+    loading: false,
+    items: ImmutableList(),
+  }),
 })
 
-const normalizeList = (state, type, id, groups) => {
-  return state.set(type, ImmutableList(groups.map(item => item.id)))
-}
-
 export default function groupLists(state = initialState, action) {
+  if (tabs.indexOf(action.tab) === -1) return state
+  
   switch(action.type) {
+  case GROUPS_FETCH_REQUEST:
+    return state.withMutations((mutable) => {
+      mutable.setIn([action.tab, 'loading'], true)
+    });
   case GROUPS_FETCH_SUCCESS:
-    if (!action.tab) return state
-    return normalizeList(state, action.tab, action.id, action.groups)
+    return state.withMutations((mutable) => {
+      mutable.setIn([action.tab, 'items'], ImmutableList(action.groups.map(item => item.id)))
+      mutable.setIn([action.tab, 'loading'], false)
+      mutable.setIn([action.tab, 'fetched'], true)
+    })
+  case GROUPS_FETCH_FAIL:
+    return state.withMutations((mutable) => {
+      mutable.setIn([action.tab, 'items'], ImmutableList())
+      mutable.setIn([action.tab, 'loading'], false)
+      mutable.setIn([action.tab, 'fetched'], true)
+    })
   default:
     return state
   }