diff --git a/opm/simulators/wells/WellInterfaceFluidSystem.cpp b/opm/simulators/wells/WellInterfaceFluidSystem.cpp
index 67e26feed..0ae7b0002 100644
--- a/opm/simulators/wells/WellInterfaceFluidSystem.cpp
+++ b/opm/simulators/wells/WellInterfaceFluidSystem.cpp
@@ -131,6 +131,10 @@ checkGroupConstraints(WellState& well_state,
                       const SummaryState& summaryState,
                       DeferredLogger& deferred_logger) const
 {
+
+    if (!this->wellEcl().isAvailableForGroupControl())
+        return false;
+
     auto rCoeff = [this, &group_state](const RegionId id, const int region, const std::optional<std::string>& prod_gname, std::vector<double>& coeff)
     {
         if (prod_gname)
diff --git a/opm/simulators/wells/WellState.cpp b/opm/simulators/wells/WellState.cpp
index be8fd0699..9254a0cec 100644
--- a/opm/simulators/wells/WellState.cpp
+++ b/opm/simulators/wells/WellState.cpp
@@ -302,11 +302,19 @@ void WellState::init(const std::vector<double>& cellPressures,
         auto& ws = this->well(w);
         if (wells_ecl[w].isProducer()) {
             const auto controls = wells_ecl[w].productionControls(summary_state);
-            ws.production_cmode = controls.cmode;
+            if (controls.cmode == Well::ProducerCMode::GRUP && !wells_ecl[w].isAvailableForGroupControl()) {
+                ws.production_cmode = Well::ProducerCMode::BHP; // wells always has a BHP control
+            } else {
+                ws.production_cmode = controls.cmode;
+            }
         }
         else {
             const auto controls = wells_ecl[w].injectionControls(summary_state);
-            ws.injection_cmode = controls.cmode;
+            if (controls.cmode == Well::InjectorCMode::GRUP && !wells_ecl[w].isAvailableForGroupControl()) {
+                ws.injection_cmode = Well::InjectorCMode::BHP; // wells always has a BHP control
+            } else {
+                ws.injection_cmode = controls.cmode;
+            }
         }
     }