diff --git a/app/src/main/kotlin/com/simplemobiletools/contacts/activities/GroupContactsActivity.kt b/app/src/main/kotlin/com/simplemobiletools/contacts/activities/GroupContactsActivity.kt
index 077880de..99c787b4 100644
--- a/app/src/main/kotlin/com/simplemobiletools/contacts/activities/GroupContactsActivity.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/kotlin/com/simplemobiletools/contacts/activities/GroupContactsActivity.kt
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ class GroupContactsActivity : SimpleActivity(), RemoveFromGroupListener, Refresh
     }
 
     override fun removeFromGroup(contacts: ArrayList<Contact>) {
-        ContactsHelper(this).removeContactsFromGroup(contacts, group.id)
+        removeContactsFromGroup(contacts, group.id)
         if (groupContacts.size == 0) {
             refreshContacts()
         }
diff --git a/app/src/main/kotlin/com/simplemobiletools/contacts/extensions/Activity.kt b/app/src/main/kotlin/com/simplemobiletools/contacts/extensions/Activity.kt
index 01edbf4d..71af206e 100644
--- a/app/src/main/kotlin/com/simplemobiletools/contacts/extensions/Activity.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/kotlin/com/simplemobiletools/contacts/extensions/Activity.kt
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ fun BaseSimpleActivity.addContactsToGroup(contacts: ArrayList<Contact>, groupId:
 fun BaseSimpleActivity.removeContactsFromGroup(contacts: ArrayList<Contact>, groupId: Long) {
     val publicContacts = contacts.filter { it.source != SMT_PRIVATE }
     val privateContacts = contacts.filter { it.source == SMT_PRIVATE }
-    if (publicContacts.isNotEmpty()) {
+    if (publicContacts.isNotEmpty() && hasContactPermissions()) {
         ContactsHelper(this).removeContactsFromGroup(contacts, groupId)
     }
 
diff --git a/app/src/main/kotlin/com/simplemobiletools/contacts/helpers/ContactsHelper.kt b/app/src/main/kotlin/com/simplemobiletools/contacts/helpers/ContactsHelper.kt
index 0f427818..cb0ad9e6 100644
--- a/app/src/main/kotlin/com/simplemobiletools/contacts/helpers/ContactsHelper.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/kotlin/com/simplemobiletools/contacts/helpers/ContactsHelper.kt
@@ -1024,12 +1024,16 @@ class ContactsHelper(val activity: BaseSimpleActivity) {
 
     fun addFavorites(contacts: ArrayList<Contact>) {
         toggleLocalFavorites(contacts, true)
-        toggleFavorites(contacts, true)
+        if (activity.hasContactPermissions()) {
+            toggleFavorites(contacts, true)
+        }
     }
 
     fun removeFavorites(contacts: ArrayList<Contact>) {
         toggleLocalFavorites(contacts, false)
-        toggleFavorites(contacts, false)
+        if (activity.hasContactPermissions()) {
+            toggleFavorites(contacts, false)
+        }
     }
 
     private fun toggleFavorites(contacts: ArrayList<Contact>, addToFavorites: Boolean) {