diff --git a/command.go b/command.go
index 9d5e9cf..6ff47dd 100644
--- a/command.go
+++ b/command.go
@@ -998,6 +998,10 @@ func (c *Command) ExecuteC() (cmd *Command, err error) {
 	// initialize completion at the last point to allow for user overriding
 	c.InitDefaultCompletionCmd()
 
+	// Now that all commands have been created, let's make sure all groups
+	// are properly created also
+	c.checkCommandGroups()
+
 	args := c.args
 
 	// Workaround FAIL with "go test -v" or "cobra.test -test.v", see #155
@@ -1092,6 +1096,19 @@ func (c *Command) ValidateRequiredFlags() error {
 	return nil
 }
 
+// checkCommandGroups checks if a command has been added to a group that does not exists.
+// If so, we panic because it indicates a coding error that should be corrected.
+func (c *Command) checkCommandGroups() {
+	for _, sub := range c.commands {
+		// if Group is not defined let the developer know right away
+		if sub.GroupID != "" && !c.ContainsGroup(sub.GroupID) {
+			panic(fmt.Sprintf("group id '%s' is not defined for subcommand '%s'", sub.GroupID, sub.CommandPath()))
+		}
+
+		sub.checkCommandGroups()
+	}
+}
+
 // InitDefaultHelpFlag adds default help flag to c.
 // It is called automatically by executing the c or by calling help and usage.
 // If c already has help flag, it will do nothing.
@@ -1218,10 +1235,6 @@ func (c *Command) AddCommand(cmds ...*Command) {
 			panic("Command can't be a child of itself")
 		}
 		cmds[i].parent = c
-		// if Group is not defined let the developer know right away
-		if x.GroupID != "" && !c.ContainsGroup(x.GroupID) {
-			panic(fmt.Sprintf("Group id '%s' is not defined for subcommand '%s'", x.GroupID, cmds[i].CommandPath()))
-		}
 		// update max lengths
 		usageLen := len(x.Use)
 		if usageLen > c.commandsMaxUseLen {
diff --git a/command_test.go b/command_test.go
index 0adec93..c023bd6 100644
--- a/command_test.go
+++ b/command_test.go
@@ -1862,6 +1862,84 @@ func TestAddGroup(t *testing.T) {
 	checkStringContains(t, output, "\nTest group\n  cmd")
 }
 
+func TestWrongGroupFirstLevel(t *testing.T) {
+	var rootCmd = &Command{Use: "root", Short: "test", Run: emptyRun}
+
+	rootCmd.AddGroup(&Group{ID: "group", Title: "Test group"})
+	// Use the wrong group ID
+	rootCmd.AddCommand(&Command{Use: "cmd", GroupID: "wrong", Run: emptyRun})
+
+	defer func() {
+		if recover() == nil {
+			t.Errorf("The code should have panicked due to a missing group")
+		}
+	}()
+	_, err := executeCommand(rootCmd, "--help")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Errorf("Unexpected error: %v", err)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestWrongGroupNestedLevel(t *testing.T) {
+	var rootCmd = &Command{Use: "root", Short: "test", Run: emptyRun}
+	var childCmd = &Command{Use: "child", Run: emptyRun}
+	rootCmd.AddCommand(childCmd)
+
+	childCmd.AddGroup(&Group{ID: "group", Title: "Test group"})
+	// Use the wrong group ID
+	childCmd.AddCommand(&Command{Use: "cmd", GroupID: "wrong", Run: emptyRun})
+
+	defer func() {
+		if recover() == nil {
+			t.Errorf("The code should have panicked due to a missing group")
+		}
+	}()
+	_, err := executeCommand(rootCmd, "child", "--help")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Errorf("Unexpected error: %v", err)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestWrongGroupForHelp(t *testing.T) {
+	var rootCmd = &Command{Use: "root", Short: "test", Run: emptyRun}
+	var childCmd = &Command{Use: "child", Run: emptyRun}
+	rootCmd.AddCommand(childCmd)
+
+	rootCmd.AddGroup(&Group{ID: "group", Title: "Test group"})
+	// Use the wrong group ID
+	rootCmd.SetHelpCommandGroupID("wrong")
+
+	defer func() {
+		if recover() == nil {
+			t.Errorf("The code should have panicked due to a missing group")
+		}
+	}()
+	_, err := executeCommand(rootCmd, "--help")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Errorf("Unexpected error: %v", err)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestWrongGroupForCompletion(t *testing.T) {
+	var rootCmd = &Command{Use: "root", Short: "test", Run: emptyRun}
+	var childCmd = &Command{Use: "child", Run: emptyRun}
+	rootCmd.AddCommand(childCmd)
+
+	rootCmd.AddGroup(&Group{ID: "group", Title: "Test group"})
+	// Use the wrong group ID
+	rootCmd.SetCompletionCommandGroupID("wrong")
+
+	defer func() {
+		if recover() == nil {
+			t.Errorf("The code should have panicked due to a missing group")
+		}
+	}()
+	_, err := executeCommand(rootCmd, "--help")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Errorf("Unexpected error: %v", err)
+	}
+}
+
 func TestSetOutput(t *testing.T) {
 	c := &Command{}
 	c.SetOutput(nil)
diff --git a/user_guide.md b/user_guide.md
index 977306a..e55367e 100644
--- a/user_guide.md
+++ b/user_guide.md
@@ -492,10 +492,11 @@ around it. In fact, you can provide your own if you want.
 
 ### Grouping commands in help
 
-Cobra supports grouping of available commands. Groups must be explicitly defined by `AddGroup` and set by
-the `GroupId` element of a subcommand. The groups will appear in the same order as they are defined.
-If you use the generated `help` or `completion` commands, you can set the group ids by `SetHelpCommandGroupId`
-and `SetCompletionCommandGroupId`, respectively.
+Cobra supports grouping of available commands in the help output.  To group commands, each group must be explicitly
+defined using `AddGroup()` on the parent command.  Then a subcommand can be added to a group using the `GroupID` element
+of that subcommand. The groups will appear in the help output in the same order as they are defined using different
+calls to `AddGroup()`.  If you use the generated `help` or `completion` commands, you can set their group ids using
+`SetHelpCommandGroupId()` and `SetCompletionCommandGroupId()` on the root command, respectively.
 
 ### Defining your own help