diff --git a/web/src/user_group_edit_members.ts b/web/src/user_group_edit_members.ts
index 90110d81d5..67bc19fddd 100644
--- a/web/src/user_group_edit_members.ts
+++ b/web/src/user_group_edit_members.ts
@@ -220,7 +220,7 @@ function add_new_members({pill_user_ids}: {pill_user_ids: number[]}): void {
             deactivated_users.add(user_id);
             return false;
         }
-        if (user_groups.is_user_in_group(group.id, user_id)) {
+        if (user_groups.is_user_in_group(group.id, user_id, true)) {
             // we filter out already added users before sending
             // add member request as the endpoint is not so robust and
             // fails complete request if any already added member
@@ -235,7 +235,7 @@ function add_new_members({pill_user_ids}: {pill_user_ids: number[]}): void {
 
     if (
         user_id_set.has(current_user.user_id) &&
-        user_groups.is_user_in_group(group.id, current_user.user_id)
+        user_groups.is_user_in_group(group.id, current_user.user_id, true)
     ) {
         // We don't want to send a request to add ourselves if we
         // are already added to this group. This case occurs
diff --git a/web/src/user_groups.ts b/web/src/user_groups.ts
index 5c4ccdfe6e..2172384c00 100644
--- a/web/src/user_groups.ts
+++ b/web/src/user_groups.ts
@@ -311,7 +311,11 @@ export function get_recursive_group_members(target_user_group: UserGroup): Set<n
     return members;
 }
 
-export function is_user_in_group(user_group_id: number, user_id: number): boolean {
+export function is_user_in_group(
+    user_group_id: number,
+    user_id: number,
+    direct_member_only = false,
+): boolean {
     const user_group = user_group_by_id_dict.get(user_group_id);
     if (user_group === undefined) {
         blueslip.error("Could not find user group", {user_group_id});
@@ -321,6 +325,10 @@ export function is_user_in_group(user_group_id: number, user_id: number): boolea
         return true;
     }
 
+    if (direct_member_only) {
+        return false;
+    }
+
     const subgroup_ids = get_recursive_subgroups(user_group);
     if (subgroup_ids === undefined) {
         return false;
diff --git a/web/tests/user_groups.test.js b/web/tests/user_groups.test.js
index 668c87c197..51825e8112 100644
--- a/web/tests/user_groups.test.js
+++ b/web/tests/user_groups.test.js
@@ -349,6 +349,18 @@ run_test("is_user_in_group", () => {
     assert.equal(user_groups.is_user_in_group(foo.id, 6), true);
     assert.equal(user_groups.is_user_in_group(foo.id, 3), false);
 
+    // Check when passing direct_member_only as true.
+    assert.equal(user_groups.is_user_in_group(admins.id, 1, true), true);
+    assert.equal(user_groups.is_user_in_group(admins.id, 6, true), false);
+
+    assert.equal(user_groups.is_user_in_group(all.id, 2, true), true);
+    assert.equal(user_groups.is_user_in_group(all.id, 1, true), false);
+    assert.equal(user_groups.is_user_in_group(all.id, 6, true), false);
+
+    assert.equal(user_groups.is_user_in_group(test.id, 4, true), true);
+    assert.equal(user_groups.is_user_in_group(test.id, 1, true), false);
+    assert.equal(user_groups.is_user_in_group(test.id, 6, true), false);
+
     assert.equal(user_groups.is_user_in_setting_group(test.id, 4), true);
     assert.equal(user_groups.is_user_in_setting_group(test.id, 1), true);
     assert.equal(user_groups.is_user_in_setting_group(test.id, 6), true);