diff --git a/src/ptserver/pt_util.c b/src/ptserver/pt_util.c
index f1e9c392f4..a69e0b4cb3 100644
--- a/src/ptserver/pt_util.c
+++ b/src/ptserver/pt_util.c
@@ -234,6 +234,7 @@ CommandProc(struct cmd_syndesc *a_as, void *arock)
 
 	while (fgets(buffer, sizeof(buffer), dfp)) {
 	    int id, oid, cid, flags, quota, uid;
+	    int seenGroup = 0;
 	    char name[PR_MAXNAMELEN], mem[PR_MAXNAMELEN];
 
 	    if (isspace(*buffer)) {
@@ -244,6 +245,13 @@ CommandProc(struct cmd_syndesc *a_as, void *arock)
 		    exit(1);
 		}
 
+		if (!seenGroup) {
+		    fprintf(stderr,
+			    "Group member %s listed outside of group\n",
+			    mem);
+		    exit(1);
+		}
+
 		for (u = usr_head; u; u = u->next)
 		    if (u->uid && u->uid == uid)
 			break;
@@ -300,6 +308,8 @@ CommandProc(struct cmd_syndesc *a_as, void *arock)
 		    exit(1);
 		}
 
+		seenGroup = 1;
+
 		if (FindByID(0, id))
 		    code = PRIDEXIST;
 		else