diff --git a/web/src/settings_data.ts b/web/src/settings_data.ts
index e5659450a8..07c8371625 100644
--- a/web/src/settings_data.ts
+++ b/web/src/settings_data.ts
@@ -183,6 +183,25 @@ export function user_can_edit_user_groups(): boolean {
     return user_has_permission(page_params.realm_user_group_edit_policy);
 }
 
+export function can_edit_user_group(group_id: number): boolean {
+    if (!page_params.user_id) {
+        return false;
+    }
+
+    if (!user_can_edit_user_groups()) {
+        return false;
+    }
+
+    // Admins and moderators are allowed to edit user groups even if they
+    // are not a member of that user group. Members can edit user groups
+    // only if they belong to that group.
+    if (page_params.is_admin || page_params.is_moderator) {
+        return true;
+    }
+
+    return user_groups.is_direct_member_of(page_params.user_id, group_id);
+}
+
 export function user_can_add_custom_emoji(): boolean {
     return user_has_permission(page_params.realm_add_custom_emoji_policy);
 }
diff --git a/web/src/user_group_edit.js b/web/src/user_group_edit.js
index f6a54e9bed..553acf5cbe 100644
--- a/web/src/user_group_edit.js
+++ b/web/src/user_group_edit.js
@@ -13,7 +13,6 @@ import * as dialog_widget from "./dialog_widget";
 import * as hash_util from "./hash_util";
 import {$t, $t_html} from "./i18n";
 import * as overlays from "./overlays";
-import {page_params} from "./page_params";
 import * as people from "./people";
 import * as scroll_util from "./scroll_util";
 import * as settings_data from "./settings_data";
@@ -51,21 +50,6 @@ function get_user_group_for_target(target) {
     return group;
 }
 
-export function can_edit(group_id) {
-    if (!settings_data.user_can_edit_user_groups()) {
-        return false;
-    }
-
-    // Admins and moderators are allowed to edit user groups even if they
-    // are not a member of that user group. Members can edit user groups
-    // only if they belong to that group.
-    if (page_params.is_admin || page_params.is_moderator) {
-        return true;
-    }
-
-    return user_groups.is_direct_member_of(people.my_current_user_id(), group_id);
-}
-
 export function get_edit_container(group) {
     return $(
         `#groups_overlay .user_group_settings_wrapper[data-group-id='${CSS.escape(group.id)}']`,
@@ -141,7 +125,7 @@ export function handle_member_edit_event(group_id, user_ids) {
     }
 
     // update_settings buttons.
-    if (can_edit(group_id)) {
+    if (settings_data.can_edit_user_group(group_id)) {
         enable_group_edit_settings(group);
     } else {
         disable_group_edit_settings(group);
@@ -157,7 +141,7 @@ export function update_settings_pane(group) {
 export function show_settings_for(group) {
     const html = render_user_group_settings({
         group,
-        can_edit: can_edit(group.id),
+        can_edit: settings_data.can_edit_user_group(group.id),
     });
 
     scroll_util.get_content_element($("#user_group_settings")).html(html);
@@ -288,7 +272,7 @@ export function initialize() {
         const group_id = active_group_data.id;
         const user_group = user_groups.get_user_group_from_id(group_id);
 
-        if (!user_group || !can_edit(group_id)) {
+        if (!user_group || !settings_data.can_edit_user_group(group_id)) {
             return;
         }
         function delete_user_group() {
diff --git a/web/src/user_group_edit_members.js b/web/src/user_group_edit_members.js
index c5b6430468..64b55a411b 100644
--- a/web/src/user_group_edit_members.js
+++ b/web/src/user_group_edit_members.js
@@ -14,8 +14,8 @@ import * as ListWidget from "./list_widget";
 import {page_params} from "./page_params";
 import * as people from "./people";
 import * as scroll_util from "./scroll_util";
+import * as settings_data from "./settings_data";
 import * as settings_users from "./settings_users";
-import * as user_group_edit from "./user_group_edit";
 import * as user_groups from "./user_groups";
 
 export let pill_widget;
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ function format_member_list_elem(person) {
         user_id: person.user_id,
         is_current_user: person.user_id === page_params.user_id,
         email: person.delivery_email,
-        can_remove_subscribers: user_group_edit.can_edit(current_group_id),
+        can_remove_subscribers: settings_data.can_edit_user_group(current_group_id),
     });
 }
 
diff --git a/web/src/user_group_ui_updates.js b/web/src/user_group_ui_updates.js
index 5262d5c8bf..d429a47e1c 100644
--- a/web/src/user_group_ui_updates.js
+++ b/web/src/user_group_ui_updates.js
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import $ from "jquery";
 
 import {$t} from "./i18n";
 import {page_params} from "./page_params";
+import * as settings_data from "./settings_data";
 import * as stream_ui_updates from "./stream_ui_updates";
 import * as user_group_edit from "./user_group_edit";
 
@@ -30,7 +31,7 @@ export function update_add_members_elements(group) {
     const $input_element = $add_members_container.find(".input").expectOne();
     const $button_element = $add_members_container.find('button[name="add_member"]').expectOne();
 
-    if (user_group_edit.can_edit(group.id)) {
+    if (settings_data.can_edit_user_group(group.id)) {
         $input_element.prop("disabled", false);
         $button_element.prop("disabled", false);
         $button_element.css("pointer-events", "");
diff --git a/web/tests/settings_data.test.js b/web/tests/settings_data.test.js
index b0ea7837af..fba2a75373 100644
--- a/web/tests/settings_data.test.js
+++ b/web/tests/settings_data.test.js
@@ -371,3 +371,36 @@ run_test("user_can_create_multiuse_invite", () => {
     page_params.user_id = member_user_id;
     assert.equal(settings_data.user_can_create_multiuse_invite(), false);
 });
+
+run_test("can_edit_user_group", () => {
+    const students = {
+        description: "Students group",
+        name: "Students",
+        id: 0,
+        members: new Set([1, 2]),
+        is_system_group: false,
+        direct_subgroup_ids: new Set([4, 5]),
+        can_mention_group: 2,
+    };
+    user_groups.initialize({
+        realm_user_groups: [students],
+    });
+
+    delete page_params.user_id;
+    assert.ok(!settings_data.can_edit_user_group(students.id));
+
+    page_params.user_id = 3;
+    page_params.is_guest = true;
+    assert.ok(!settings_data.can_edit_user_group(students.id));
+
+    page_params.is_guest = false;
+    page_params.is_moderator = true;
+    assert.ok(settings_data.can_edit_user_group(students.id));
+
+    page_params.is_moderator = false;
+    assert.ok(!settings_data.can_edit_user_group(students.id));
+
+    page_params.user_id = 2;
+    page_params.realm_waiting_period_threshold = 0;
+    assert.ok(settings_data.can_edit_user_group(students.id));
+});