diff --git a/src/battle.c b/src/battle.c
index 8ed79a732..3a1628dfe 100644
--- a/src/battle.c
+++ b/src/battle.c
@@ -3108,9 +3108,7 @@ fighter *make_fighter(battle * b, unit * u, side * s1, bool attack)
     if (fval(u, UFL_ANON_FACTION) != 0)
         flags |= SIDE_STEALTH;
     if (!(AllianceAuto() & HELP_FIGHT) && fval(u, UFL_GROUP)) {
-        const attrib *agroup = a_find(u->attribs, &at_group);
-        if (agroup != NULL)
-            g = (const group *)agroup->data.v;
+        g = get_group(u);
     }
 
     /* Illusionen und Zauber kaempfen nicht */
diff --git a/src/creport.c b/src/creport.c
index 517160a07..d6cc403cd 100644
--- a/src/creport.c
+++ b/src/creport.c
@@ -799,13 +799,11 @@ void cr_output_unit(stream *out, const faction * f,
     }
 
     if (u->faction == f) {
-        const attrib *a = NULL;
         unit *mage;
+        group * g;
 
-        if (fval(u, UFL_GROUP))
-            a = a_find(u->attribs, &at_group);
-        if (a != NULL) {
-            const group *g = (const group *)a->data.v;
+        g = get_group(u);
+        if (g) {
             stream_printf(out, "%d;gruppe\n", g->gid);
         }
         mage = get_familiar_mage(u);
diff --git a/src/kernel/ally.c b/src/kernel/ally.c
index b439975f3..2e1a4b47b 100644
--- a/src/kernel/ally.c
+++ b/src/kernel/ally.c
@@ -282,6 +282,8 @@ int alliedunit(const unit * u, const faction * f2, int mask)
         return 0;
     }
     if (u->faction != NULL && f2 != NULL) {
+        group *g;
+
         if (mask & HELP_FIGHT) {
             if ((u->flags & UFL_DEFENDER) || (u->faction->flags & FFL_DEFENDER)) {
                 faction *owner = region_get_owner(u->region);
@@ -292,12 +294,9 @@ int alliedunit(const unit * u, const faction * f2, int mask)
             }
         }
 
-        if (fval(u, UFL_GROUP)) {
-            const attrib *a = a_find(u->attribs, &at_group);
-            if (a != NULL) {
-                group *g = (group *)a->data.v;
-                return alliedgroup(u->faction, f2, g, mask);
-            }
+        g = get_group(u);
+        if (g) {
+            return alliedgroup(u->faction, f2, g, mask);
         }
         return alliedfaction(u->faction, f2, mask);
     }
diff --git a/src/kernel/race.c b/src/kernel/race.c
index 8a8311991..53abd339f 100644
--- a/src/kernel/race.c
+++ b/src/kernel/race.c
@@ -531,14 +531,9 @@ const char *rc_name_s(const race * rc, name_t n)
 
 const char *raceprefix(const unit * u)
 {
-    attrib *asource = u->faction->attribs;
-
-    if (fval(u, UFL_GROUP)) {
-        attrib *agroup = a_find(u->attribs, &at_group);
-        if (agroup != NULL)
-            asource = ((const group *)(agroup->data.v))->attribs;
-    }
-    return get_prefix(asource);
+    group *g = get_group(u);
+    attrib *attr = g ? g->attribs : u->faction->attribs;
+    return get_prefix(attr);
 }
 
 const char *racename(const struct locale *loc, const unit * u, const race * rc)
diff --git a/src/kernel/unit.c b/src/kernel/unit.c
index b5346e04d..d63cd724c 100644
--- a/src/kernel/unit.c
+++ b/src/kernel/unit.c
@@ -1454,10 +1454,9 @@ unit *create_unit(region * r, faction * f, int number, const struct race *urace,
         }
 
         /* Gruppen */
-        if (creator->faction == f && fval(creator, UFL_GROUP)) {
-            a = a_find(creator->attribs, &at_group);
-            if (a) {
-                group *g = (group *)a->data.v;
+        if (creator->faction == f) {
+            group *g = get_group(creator);
+            if (g) {
                 set_group(u, g);
             }
         }
diff --git a/src/laws.c b/src/laws.c
index de10a2719..61eac6a0b 100644
--- a/src/laws.c
+++ b/src/laws.c
@@ -1317,9 +1317,9 @@ int ally_cmd(unit * u, struct order *ord)
 
     sfp = &u->faction->allies;
     if (fval(u, UFL_GROUP)) {
-        attrib *a = a_find(u->attribs, &at_group);
-        if (a) {
-            sfp = &((group *)a->data.v)->allies;
+        group *g = get_group(u);
+        if (g) {
+            sfp = &g->allies;
         }
     }
 
@@ -1453,12 +1453,8 @@ int prefix_cmd(unit * u, struct order *ord)
     s = gettoken(token, sizeof(token));
 
     if (!s || !*s) {
-        attrib *a = NULL;
-        if (fval(u, UFL_GROUP)) {
-            a = a_find(u->attribs, &at_group);
-        }
-        if (a) {
-            group *g = (group *)a->data.v;
+        group *g = get_group(u);
+        if (g) {
             a_removeall(&g->attribs, &at_raceprefix);
         }
         else {
@@ -1473,13 +1469,12 @@ int prefix_cmd(unit * u, struct order *ord)
         cmistake(u, ord, 299, MSG_EVENT);
     }
     else {
-        ap = &u->faction->attribs;
-        if (fval(u, UFL_GROUP)) {
-            attrib *a = a_find(u->attribs, &at_group);
-            if (a) {
-                group *g = (group *)a->data.v;
-                ap = &g->attribs;
-            }
+        group *g = get_group(u);
+        if (g) {
+            ap = &g->attribs;
+        } 
+        else {
+            ap = &u->faction->attribs;
         }
         set_prefix(ap, race_prefixes[var.i]);
     }
@@ -1839,11 +1834,8 @@ int name_cmd(struct unit *u, struct order *ord)
 
     case P_GROUP:
     {
-        attrib *a = NULL;
-        if (fval(u, UFL_GROUP))
-            a = a_find(u->attribs, &at_group);
-        if (a) {
-            group *g = (group *)a->data.v;
+        group *g = get_group(u);
+        if (g) {
             s = &g->name;
             break;
         }
diff --git a/src/reports.c b/src/reports.c
index 375a28884..12154b70d 100644
--- a/src/reports.c
+++ b/src/reports.c
@@ -697,9 +697,8 @@ bufunit(const faction * f, const unit * u, seen_mode mode, char *buf,
     if (!isbattle) {
         if (u->faction == f) {
             if (fval(u, UFL_GROUP)) {
-                attrib *a = a_find(u->attribs, &at_group);
-                if (a) {
-                    group *g = (group *)a->data.v;
+                group *g = get_group(u);
+                if (g) {
                     bufp = STRLCPY(bufp, ", ", size);
                     bufp = STRLCPY(bufp, groupid(g, f), size);
                 }