diff --git a/changelog.html b/changelog.html
index d5d353c93..480caf2b8 100644
--- a/changelog.html
+++ b/changelog.html
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ <h1>
 <p><b>1.9.0</b> (tbd)</p>
 <ul>
     <li>[<a href='https://github.com/igniterealtime/openfire-restAPI-plugin/issues/141'>#141</a>] - Remove boilerplate code for managing MUC room affiliations</li>
+    <li>[<a href='https://github.com/igniterealtime/openfire-restAPI-plugin/issues/136'>#136</a>] - Implement group role handling when creating/updating a room</li>
     <li>[<a href='https://github.com/igniterealtime/openfire-restAPI-plugin/issues/130'>#130</a>] - Add endpoint to create a new MUC service</li>
     <li>[<a href='https://github.com/igniterealtime/openfire-restAPI-plugin/issues/129'>#129</a>] - Add endpoint(s) to invite users to a chatroom</li>
     <li>[<a href='https://github.com/igniterealtime/openfire-restAPI-plugin/issues/128'>#128</a>] - Modify endpoints to add 'send invitations to affiliated users' as optional functionality</li>
diff --git a/src/java/org/jivesoftware/openfire/plugin/rest/controller/MUCRoomController.java b/src/java/org/jivesoftware/openfire/plugin/rest/controller/MUCRoomController.java
index d826b4609..149f8f0b3 100644
--- a/src/java/org/jivesoftware/openfire/plugin/rest/controller/MUCRoomController.java
+++ b/src/java/org/jivesoftware/openfire/plugin/rest/controller/MUCRoomController.java
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
 import org.jivesoftware.openfire.XMPPServer;
 import org.jivesoftware.openfire.group.ConcurrentGroupList;
 import org.jivesoftware.openfire.group.Group;
+import org.jivesoftware.openfire.group.GroupJID;
 import org.jivesoftware.openfire.muc.*;
 import org.jivesoftware.openfire.muc.spi.MUCRoomSearchInfo;
 import org.jivesoftware.openfire.plugin.rest.RESTServicePlugin;
@@ -400,19 +401,40 @@ private boolean equalToAffiliations(MUCRoom room, MUCRoomEntity mucRoomEntity) {
         if (mucRoomEntity == null || room == null) {
             return false;
         }
-        Set<String> admins = mucRoomEntity.getAdmins() != null ? new HashSet<>(mucRoomEntity.getAdmins()) : new HashSet<>();
-        Set<String> owners = mucRoomEntity.getOwners() != null ? new HashSet<>(mucRoomEntity.getOwners()) : new HashSet<>();
-        Set<String> members = mucRoomEntity.getMembers() != null ? new HashSet<>(mucRoomEntity.getMembers()) : new HashSet<>();
-        Set<String> outcasts = mucRoomEntity.getOutcasts() != null ? new HashSet<>(mucRoomEntity.getOutcasts()) : new HashSet<>();
-
-        Set<String> roomAdmins = room.getAdmins() != null ? new HashSet<>(MUCRoomUtils.convertJIDsToStringList(room.getAdmins())) : new HashSet<>();
-        Set<String> roomOwners = room.getOwners() != null ? new HashSet<>(MUCRoomUtils.convertJIDsToStringList(room.getOwners())) : new HashSet<>();
-        Set<String> roomMembers = room.getMembers() != null ? new HashSet<>(MUCRoomUtils.convertJIDsToStringList(room.getMembers())) : new HashSet<>();
-        Set<String> roomOutcasts = room.getOutcasts() != null ? new HashSet<>(MUCRoomUtils.convertJIDsToStringList(room.getOutcasts())) : new HashSet<>();
-        return admins.equals(roomAdmins)
-            && owners.equals(roomOwners)
-            && members.equals(roomMembers)
-            && outcasts.equals(roomOutcasts);
+
+        ConcurrentGroupList<JID> owners = new ConcurrentGroupList<>(room.getOwners());
+        ConcurrentGroupList<JID> admins = new ConcurrentGroupList<>(room.getAdmins());
+        ConcurrentGroupList<JID> members = new ConcurrentGroupList<>(room.getMembers());
+        ConcurrentGroupList<JID> outcasts = new ConcurrentGroupList<>(room.getOutcasts());
+
+        Set<String> roomOwners = new HashSet<>(MUCRoomUtils.convertJIDsToStringList(owners)); // convertJIDsToStringList ignores group JIDs.
+        Set<String> roomAdmins = new HashSet<>(MUCRoomUtils.convertJIDsToStringList(admins));
+        Set<String> roomMembers = new HashSet<>(MUCRoomUtils.convertJIDsToStringList(members));
+        Set<String> roomOutcasts = new HashSet<>(MUCRoomUtils.convertJIDsToStringList(outcasts));
+
+        Set<String> entityOwners = mucRoomEntity.getOwners() != null ? new HashSet<>(mucRoomEntity.getOwners()) : new HashSet<>();
+        Set<String> entityAdmins = mucRoomEntity.getAdmins() != null ? new HashSet<>(mucRoomEntity.getAdmins()) : new HashSet<>();
+        Set<String> entityMembers = mucRoomEntity.getMembers() != null ? new HashSet<>(mucRoomEntity.getMembers()) : new HashSet<>();
+        Set<String> entityOutcasts = mucRoomEntity.getOutcasts() != null ? new HashSet<>(mucRoomEntity.getOutcasts()) : new HashSet<>();
+
+        Set<String> roomOwnerGroups = new HashSet<>(MUCRoomUtils.convertGroupsToStringList(owners.getGroups()));
+        Set<String> roomAdminGroups = new HashSet<>(MUCRoomUtils.convertGroupsToStringList(admins.getGroups()));
+        Set<String> roomMemberGroups = new HashSet<>(MUCRoomUtils.convertGroupsToStringList(members.getGroups()));
+        Set<String> roomOutcastGroups = new HashSet<>(MUCRoomUtils.convertGroupsToStringList(outcasts.getGroups()));
+
+        Set<String> entityOwnerGroups = mucRoomEntity.getOwnerGroups() != null ? new HashSet<>(mucRoomEntity.getOwnerGroups()) : new HashSet<>();
+        Set<String> entityAdminGroups = mucRoomEntity.getAdminGroups() != null ? new HashSet<>(mucRoomEntity.getAdminGroups()) : new HashSet<>();
+        Set<String> entityMemberGroups = mucRoomEntity.getMemberGroups() != null ? new HashSet<>(mucRoomEntity.getMemberGroups()) : new HashSet<>();
+        Set<String> entityOutcastGroups = mucRoomEntity.getOutcastGroups() != null ? new HashSet<>(mucRoomEntity.getOutcastGroups()) : new HashSet<>();
+
+        return entityOwners.equals(roomOwners)
+            && entityAdmins.equals(roomAdmins)
+            && entityMembers.equals(roomMembers)
+            && entityOutcasts.equals(roomOutcasts)
+            && entityOwnerGroups.equals(roomOwnerGroups)
+            && entityAdminGroups.equals(roomAdminGroups)
+            && entityMemberGroups.equals(roomMemberGroups)
+            && entityOutcastGroups.equals(roomOutcastGroups);
     }
 
     /**
@@ -840,6 +862,13 @@ private Collection<JID> setRoles(MUCRoom room, MUCRoomEntity mucRoomEntity) thro
         List<JID> ownersToAdd = MUCRoomUtils.convertStringsToJIDs(mucRoomEntity.getOwners());
         allNewAffiliations.addAll(ownersToAdd);
         room.addOwners(ownersToAdd, room.getRole());
+        if (mucRoomEntity.getOwnerGroups() != null) {
+            for (final String groupName : mucRoomEntity.getOwnerGroups()) {
+                final JID groupJID = UserUtils.checkAndGetJID(groupName);
+                room.addOwner(groupJID, room.getRole());
+                allNewAffiliations.add(groupJID);
+            }
+        }
 
         // Admins
         if (mucRoomEntity.getAdmins() != null) {
@@ -848,6 +877,13 @@ private Collection<JID> setRoles(MUCRoom room, MUCRoomEntity mucRoomEntity) thro
             allNewAffiliations.addAll(newAdmins);
             room.addAdmins(newAdmins, room.getRole());
         }
+        if (mucRoomEntity.getAdminGroups() != null) {
+            for (final String groupName : mucRoomEntity.getAdminGroups()) {
+                final JID groupJID = UserUtils.checkAndGetJID(groupName);
+                room.addAdmin(groupJID, room.getRole());
+                allNewAffiliations.add(groupJID);
+            }
+        }
 
         // Members
         if (mucRoomEntity.getMembers() != null) {
@@ -858,6 +894,13 @@ private Collection<JID> setRoles(MUCRoom room, MUCRoomEntity mucRoomEntity) thro
                 room.addMember(memberJid, null, room.getRole());
             }
         }
+        if (mucRoomEntity.getMemberGroups() != null) {
+            for (final String groupName : mucRoomEntity.getMemberGroups()) {
+                final JID groupJID = UserUtils.checkAndGetJID(groupName);
+                room.addMember(groupJID, null, room.getRole());
+                allNewAffiliations.add(groupJID);
+            }
+        }
 
         // Outcasts
         if (mucRoomEntity.getOutcasts() != null) {
@@ -865,7 +908,12 @@ private Collection<JID> setRoles(MUCRoom room, MUCRoomEntity mucRoomEntity) thro
                 room.addOutcast(new JID(outcastJid), null, room.getRole());
             }
         }
-
+        if (mucRoomEntity.getOutcastGroups() != null) {
+            for (final String groupName : mucRoomEntity.getOutcastGroups()) {
+                final JID groupJID = UserUtils.checkAndGetJID(groupName);
+                room.addOutcast(groupJID, null, room.getRole());
+            }
+        }
         return allNewAffiliations;
     }