diff --git a/include/libbb.h b/include/libbb.h
index 80311db2b..16e8f48db 100644
--- a/include/libbb.h
+++ b/include/libbb.h
@@ -703,6 +703,7 @@ void xget_uidgid(struct bb_uidgid_t*, const char*) FAST_FUNC;
 /* chown-like handling of "user[:[group]" */
 void parse_chown_usergroup_or_die(struct bb_uidgid_t *u, char *user_group) FAST_FUNC;
 struct passwd* xgetpwnam(const char *name) FAST_FUNC;
+struct group* xgetgrnam(const char *name) FAST_FUNC;
 struct passwd* xgetpwuid(uid_t uid) FAST_FUNC;
 struct group* xgetgrgid(gid_t gid) FAST_FUNC;
 char* xuid2uname(uid_t uid) FAST_FUNC;
diff --git a/libbb/bb_pwd.c b/libbb/bb_pwd.c
index 5dbc58d9f..d72857771 100644
--- a/libbb/bb_pwd.c
+++ b/libbb/bb_pwd.c
@@ -23,7 +23,14 @@ struct passwd* FAST_FUNC xgetpwnam(const char *name)
 	return pw;
 }
 
-/* xgetgrnam too? */
+struct group* FAST_FUNC xgetgrnam(const char *name)
+{
+	struct group *gr = getgrnam(name);
+	if (!gr)
+		bb_error_msg_and_die("unknown group %s", name);
+	return gr;
+}
+
 
 struct passwd* FAST_FUNC xgetpwuid(uid_t uid)
 {
@@ -89,10 +96,7 @@ long FAST_FUNC xgroup2gid(const char *name)
 {
 	struct group *mygroup;
 
-	mygroup = getgrnam(name);
-	if (mygroup == NULL)
-		bb_error_msg_and_die("unknown group %s", name);
-
+	mygroup = xgetgrnam(name);
 	return mygroup->gr_gid;
 }
 
diff --git a/loginutils/addgroup.c b/loginutils/addgroup.c
index 2a840d7c0..5032d7b99 100644
--- a/loginutils/addgroup.c
+++ b/loginutils/addgroup.c
@@ -158,10 +158,8 @@ int addgroup_main(int argc UNUSED_PARAM, char **argv)
 
 		/* check if group and user exist */
 		xuname2uid(argv[0]); /* unknown user: exit */
-		xgroup2gid(argv[1]); /* unknown group: exit */
-// race here!
+		gr = xgetgrnam(argv[1]); /* unknown group: exit */
 		/* check if user is already in this group */
-		gr = getgrnam(argv[1]);
 		for (; *(gr->gr_mem) != NULL; (gr->gr_mem)++) {
 			if (!strcmp(argv[0], *(gr->gr_mem))) {
 				/* user is already in group: do nothing */