diff --git a/test/api/groups/GET-groups_id.test.js b/test/api/groups/GET-groups_id.test.js
index aecd6b4c90..f2f69e0d3a 100644
--- a/test/api/groups/GET-groups_id.test.js
+++ b/test/api/groups/GET-groups_id.test.js
@@ -197,7 +197,7 @@ describe('GET /groups/:id', () => {
         });
       });
 
-      xit('TODO: Not yet implimented - includes user ids in flags object', () => {
+      it('includes user ids in flags object', () => {
         return api.get(`/groups/${group._id}`).then((_group) => {
           let chatWithOneFlag = _group.chat[2];
           expect(chatWithOneFlag.id).to.eql(chat3.id);
diff --git a/test/api/groups/chat/POST-groups_id_chat_id_flag.test.js b/test/api/groups/chat/POST-groups_id_chat_id_flag.test.js
index 16ab13f429..5c822ad081 100644
--- a/test/api/groups/chat/POST-groups_id_chat_id_flag.test.js
+++ b/test/api/groups/chat/POST-groups_id_chat_id_flag.test.js
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ describe('POST /groups/:id/chat/:id/flag', () => {
         return api.get(`/groups/${group._id}/chat`);
       }).then((messages) => {
         let message = messages[0];
-        expect(message.flags[user._id]).to.eql(true);
+        expect(message.flagCount).to.eql(1);
       });
     });
   });
diff --git a/website/src/controllers/api-v2/groups.js b/website/src/controllers/api-v2/groups.js
index 40a01f32a5..89028f7aff 100644
--- a/website/src/controllers/api-v2/groups.js
+++ b/website/src/controllers/api-v2/groups.js
@@ -149,10 +149,11 @@ api.get = function(req, res, next) {
       // so that users with no party don't get a 404 on every access to the site
       return res.json(group);
     }
-    //Remove flagged messages if the user is not mod
+
     if (!user.contributor.admin) {
-      group.chat = _.filter(group.chat, function(message) { return !message.flagCount || message.flagCount < 2; });
+      _purgeFlagInfoFromChat(group);
     }
+
     //Since we have a limit on how many members are populate to the group, we want to make sure the user is always in the group
     var userInGroup = _.find(group.members, function(member){ return member._id == user._id; });
     //If the group is private or the group is a party, then the user must be a member of the group based on access restrictions above
@@ -251,11 +252,17 @@ api.update = function(req, res, next) {
 
 // TODO remove from api object?
 api.attachGroup = function(req, res, next) {
+  var user = res.locals.user;
   var gid = req.params.gid;
   var q = (gid == 'party') ? Group.findOne({type: 'party', members: {'$in': [res.locals.user._id]}}) : Group.findById(gid);
   q.exec(function(err, group){
     if(err) return next(err);
     if(!group) return res.json(404, {err: shared.i18n.t('messageGroupNotFound')});
+
+    if (!user.contributor.admin) {
+      _purgeFlagInfoFromChat(group);
+    }
+
     res.locals.group = group;
     next();
   });
@@ -275,10 +282,7 @@ api.getChat = function(req, res, next) {
   q.exec(function(err, group){
     if (err) return next(err);
     if (!group && gid!=='party') return res.json(404,{err: shared.i18n.t('messageGroupNotFound')});
-    //Remove flagged messages if the user is not mod
-    if (!user.contributor.admin) {
-      group.chat = _.filter(group.chat, function(message) { return !message.flagCount || message.flagCount < 2; });
-    }
+
     res.json(res.locals.group.chat);
     gid = null;
   });
@@ -1095,3 +1099,10 @@ api.questLeave = function(req, res, next) {
       return next(error);
     });
 }
+
+function _purgeFlagInfoFromChat(group) {
+  group.chat = _.filter(group.chat, function(message) { return !message.flagCount || message.flagCount < 2; });
+  _.each(group.chat, function (message) {
+    message.flags = {};
+  });
+}
diff --git a/website/src/models/group.js b/website/src/models/group.js
index 17817994c1..7ba8dac173 100644
--- a/website/src/models/group.js
+++ b/website/src/models/group.js
@@ -475,11 +475,6 @@ GroupSchema.methods.leave = function(user, keep, mainCb){
 
 GroupSchema.methods.toJSON = function() {
   var doc = this.toObject();
-  if(doc.chat){
-    doc.chat.forEach(function(msg){
-      msg.flags = {};
-    });
-  }
 
   return doc;
 };