diff --git a/lib/Service/ApprovalService.php b/lib/Service/ApprovalService.php
index 9be7374b..bda50992 100644
--- a/lib/Service/ApprovalService.php
+++ b/lib/Service/ApprovalService.php
@@ -532,7 +532,7 @@ private function shareWithApprovers(int $fileId, array $rule, string $userId): a
 		}
 		if ($this->shareManager->allowGroupSharing()) {
 			foreach ($rule['approvers'] as $approver) {
-				if ($approver['type'] === 'group') {
+				if ($approver['type'] === 'group' && !$this->utilsService->groupHasAccessTo($fileOwner, $node, $approver['entityId'])) {
 					if ($this->utilsService->createShare($node, IShare::TYPE_GROUP, $approver['entityId'], $fileOwner, $label)) {
 						$createdShares[] = $approver;
 					}
diff --git a/lib/Service/UtilsService.php b/lib/Service/UtilsService.php
index cc6092bb..2f611ed9 100644
--- a/lib/Service/UtilsService.php
+++ b/lib/Service/UtilsService.php
@@ -8,7 +8,10 @@
 namespace OCA\Approval\Service;
 
 use Exception;
+use OC;
 use OCA\Approval\AppInfo\Application;
+use OCA\Circles\CirclesManager;
+use OCA\Circles\Exceptions\CircleNotFoundException;
 use OCP\Constants;
 use OCP\Files\IRootFolder;
 use OCP\Files\Node;
@@ -121,11 +124,11 @@ public function createShare(Node $node, int $type, string $sharedWith, string $s
 	 * @return bool
 	 */
 	public function isUserInCircle(string $userId, string $circleId): bool {
-		$circlesManager = \OC::$server->get(\OCA\Circles\CirclesManager::class);
+		$circlesManager = OC::$server->get(CirclesManager::class);
 		$circlesManager->startSuperSession();
 		try {
 			$circle = $circlesManager->getCircle($circleId);
-		} catch (\OCA\Circles\Exceptions\CircleNotFoundException $e) {
+		} catch (CircleNotFoundException $e) {
 			$circlesManager->stopSession();
 			return false;
 		}
@@ -166,6 +169,27 @@ public function userHasAccessTo(int $fileId, ?string $userId): bool {
 		return false;
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * Return false if this folder and no parents are shared with that group
+	 *
+	 * @param string $userId
+	 * @param Node $fileNode
+	 * @param string|null $groupId
+	 * @return bool
+	 */
+	public function groupHasAccessTo(string $userId, Node $fileNode, ?string $groupId): bool {
+		do {
+			$groupShares = $this->shareManager->getSharesBy($userId, ISHARE::TYPE_GROUP, $fileNode);
+			foreach ($groupShares as $groupShare) {
+				if ($groupShare->getSharedWith() === $groupId) {
+					return true;
+				}
+			}
+			$fileNode = $fileNode->getParent();
+		} while ($fileNode->getParentId() !== -1);
+		return false;
+	}
+
 	/**
 	 * @param string $name of the new tag
 	 * @return array