diff --git a/src/etc/inc/filter.inc b/src/etc/inc/filter.inc
index 491fe249c..ca679485d 100644
--- a/src/etc/inc/filter.inc
+++ b/src/etc/inc/filter.inc
@@ -147,6 +147,67 @@ function filter_delete_states_for_down_gateways()
     }
 }
 
+/**
+ * sync interface groups, but leave the ones not managed by us intact.
+ */
+function ifgroup_setup()
+{
+    global $config;
+    $all_ifgroups = array();
+    $all_ifs = array();
+    $interface_details = legacy_interfaces_details();
+    if (isset($config['ifgroups']['ifgroupentry'])) {
+        foreach ($config['ifgroups']['ifgroupentry'] as $group) {
+            $all_ifgroups[$group['ifname']] = array();
+            foreach (explode(" ", $group['members']) as $member) {
+                if (!empty($config['interfaces'][$member])) {
+                    $if = $config['interfaces'][$member]['if'];
+                    if (!isset($all_ifs[$if])) {
+                        $all_ifs[$if] = array();
+                    }
+                    $all_ifs[$if][] = $group['ifname'];
+                    $all_ifgroups[$group['ifname']][] = $if;
+                }
+            }
+        }
+    }
+    foreach ($interface_details as $intf => $details) {
+        $thisifgroups = !empty($details['groups']) ? $details['groups'] : array();
+        foreach ($thisifgroups as $ifgroup) {
+            if (isset($all_ifgroups[$ifgroup]) && !in_array($intf, $all_ifgroups[$ifgroup])) {
+                // detach
+                mwexecf('/sbin/ifconfig %s -group %s', array($intf, $ifgroup));
+            }
+        }
+        if (!empty($all_ifs[$intf])) {
+            foreach ($all_ifs[$intf] as $ifgroup) {
+                if (!in_array($ifgroup, $thisifgroups)) {
+                    // attach
+                    mwexecf('/sbin/ifconfig %s group %s', array($intf, $ifgroup));
+                }
+            }
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+/**
+ * XXX: replace with check on interfaces section (see pf_interfaces)
+ */
+function is_interface_group($if)
+{
+    global $config;
+
+    if (isset($config['ifgroups']['ifgroupentry'])) {
+        foreach ($config['ifgroups']['ifgroupentry'] as $groupentry) {
+            if ($groupentry['ifname'] === $if) {
+                return true;
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    return false;
+}
+
 function filter_configure_sync($verbose = false, $flush_states = false, $load_aliases = true)
 {
     global $config;
@@ -160,6 +221,12 @@ function filter_configure_sync($verbose = false, $flush_states = false, $load_al
     /* Use filter lock to not allow concurrent filter reloads during this run. */
     $filterlck = lock('filter', LOCK_EX);
 
+    ifgroup_setup();
+    if ($verbose) {
+        echo '.';
+        flush();
+    }
+
     // initialize fw plugin object
     $fw = filter_core_get_initialized_plugin_system();
     filter_core_bootstrap($fw);
diff --git a/src/etc/inc/interfaces.inc b/src/etc/inc/interfaces.inc
index d749476a6..de0c382b7 100644
--- a/src/etc/inc/interfaces.inc
+++ b/src/etc/inc/interfaces.inc
@@ -962,8 +962,6 @@ function interfaces_configure($verbose = false)
     plugins_configure('ipsec_prepare', $verbose);
     plugins_configure('openvpn_prepare', $verbose);
     plugins_configure('vxlan_prepare', $verbose);
-
-    interfaces_group_setup();
 }
 
 function interface_vip_bring_down($vip)
@@ -2561,11 +2559,6 @@ function interface_configure($verbose = false, $interface = 'wan', $reload = fal
                 interface_bridge_add_member($bridgetmp, $realif);
             }
         }
-
-        $grouptmp = link_interface_to_group($interface);
-        if (!empty($grouptmp)) {
-            array_walk($grouptmp, 'interface_group_add_member');
-        }
     }
 
     if ($verbose) {
@@ -3447,50 +3440,6 @@ function DHCP_Config_File_Substitutions($wancfg, $wanif, $dhclientconf)
     return $dhclientconf;
 }
 
-function interfaces_group_setup()
-{
-    global $config;
-
-    if (!isset($config['ifgroups']['ifgroupentry'])) {
-        return;
-    }
-
-    foreach ($config['ifgroups']['ifgroupentry'] as $groupar) {
-        interface_group_setup($groupar);
-    }
-}
-
-function interface_group_setup(&$groupname)
-{
-    if (!is_array($groupname)) {
-        return;
-    }
-
-    $members = explode(' ', $groupname['members']);
-    foreach ($members as $ifs) {
-        interface_group_add_member($ifs, $groupname['ifname']);
-    }
-}
-
-function is_interface_group($if)
-{
-    global $config;
-
-    if (isset($config['ifgroups']['ifgroupentry'])) {
-        foreach ($config['ifgroups']['ifgroupentry'] as $groupentry) {
-            if ($groupentry['ifname'] === $if) {
-                return true;
-            }
-        }
-    }
-
-    return false;
-}
-
-function interface_group_add_member($interface, $groupname)
-{
-    mwexecf('/sbin/ifconfig %s group %s', array(get_real_interface($interface), $groupname));
-}
 
 /* convert fxp0 -> wan, etc. */
 function convert_real_interface_to_friendly_interface_name($interface = 'wan')
diff --git a/src/etc/inc/plugins.inc.d/pf.inc b/src/etc/inc/plugins.inc.d/pf.inc
index c7e57bf56..47b24ebb3 100644
--- a/src/etc/inc/plugins.inc.d/pf.inc
+++ b/src/etc/inc/plugins.inc.d/pf.inc
@@ -42,15 +42,6 @@ function pf_services()
             'nocheck' => true,
             'name' => 'pf',
         );
-        $services[] = array(
-            'description' => gettext('Interface groups'),
-            'nocheck' => true,
-            'php' => array(
-                'start' => array('interfaces_group_setup'),
-                'restart' => array('interfaces_group_setup'),
-            ),
-            'name' => 'ifgroups',
-        );
     }
 
     return $services;
diff --git a/src/etc/rc.newwanip b/src/etc/rc.newwanip
index 7cd1e0c9a..7288b8e56 100755
--- a/src/etc/rc.newwanip
+++ b/src/etc/rc.newwanip
@@ -99,12 +99,6 @@ if (!empty($gif)) {
     array_walk($gif, 'interface_gif_configure');
 }
 
-$grouptmp = link_interface_to_group($interface);
-if (!empty($grouptmp)) {
-    array_walk($grouptmp, 'interface_group_add_member');
-}
-
-unset($bridgetmp);
 $bridgetmp = link_interface_to_bridge($interface);
 if (!empty($bridgetmp)) {
     interface_bridge_add_member($bridgetmp, $interface_real);
diff --git a/src/etc/rc.newwanipv6 b/src/etc/rc.newwanipv6
index a7562d147..ce54a4244 100755
--- a/src/etc/rc.newwanipv6
+++ b/src/etc/rc.newwanipv6
@@ -109,11 +109,6 @@ if (is_ipaddr($ip)) {
 
 interfaces_vips_configure(false, $interface);
 
-$grouptmp = link_interface_to_group($interface);
-if (!empty($grouptmp)) {
-    array_walk($grouptmp, 'interface_group_add_member');
-}
-
 if (count(link_interface_to_track6($interface, true))) {
     plugins_configure('dhcp', false, array('inet6'));
 }
diff --git a/src/www/interfaces_groups_edit.php b/src/www/interfaces_groups_edit.php
index a0009c34c..ff6bc23f0 100644
--- a/src/www/interfaces_groups_edit.php
+++ b/src/www/interfaces_groups_edit.php
@@ -113,28 +113,19 @@ if ($_SERVER['REQUEST_METHOD'] === 'GET') {
                       }
                   }
               }
-              mark_subsystem_dirty('filter');
-          }
-          $old_ifname = isset($id) ? $a_ifgroups[$id]['ifname'] : $pconfig['ifname'];
-          // remove group members
-          foreach (explode(" ", $a_ifgroups[$id]['members']) as $old_member) {
-              if (!in_array($old_member, $pconfig['members']) || $old_ifname != $pconfig['ifname']) {
-                  mwexecf('/sbin/ifconfig %s -group %s', array(get_real_interface($old_member), $a_ifgroups[$id]['ifname']));
-              }
           }
           // update item
           $a_ifgroups[$id] = $ifgroupentry;
       } else {
-          mark_subsystem_dirty('filter');
           // add new item
           $a_ifgroups[] = $ifgroupentry;
       }
+      mark_subsystem_dirty('filter');
       usort($a_ifgroups, function($a, $b) {
           return strnatcmp($a['ifname'], $b['ifname']);
       });
       filter_rules_sort();
       write_config();
-      interface_group_setup($ifgroupentry);
       header(url_safe('Location: /interfaces_groups.php'));
       exit;
     }