diff --git a/core/src/main/scala/kafka/coordinator/group/GroupCoordinator.scala b/core/src/main/scala/kafka/coordinator/group/GroupCoordinator.scala
index 772d51d19f5c4..f178dc73fe7fe 100644
--- a/core/src/main/scala/kafka/coordinator/group/GroupCoordinator.scala
+++ b/core/src/main/scala/kafka/coordinator/group/GroupCoordinator.scala
@@ -145,17 +145,11 @@ class GroupCoordinator(val brokerId: Int,
       responseCallback(JoinGroupResult(memberId, Errors.INVALID_SESSION_TIMEOUT))
     } else {
       val isUnknownMember = memberId == JoinGroupRequest.UNKNOWN_MEMBER_ID
-      groupManager.getGroup(groupId) match {
+      // group is created if it does not exist and the member id is UNKNOWN. if member
+      // is specified but group does not exist, request is rejected with UNKNOWN_MEMBER_ID
+      groupManager.getOrMaybeCreateGroup(groupId, isUnknownMember) match {
         case None =>
-          // only try to create the group if the group is UNKNOWN AND
-          // the member id is UNKNOWN, if member is specified but group does not
-          // exist we should reject the request.
-          if (isUnknownMember) {
-            val group = groupManager.addGroup(new GroupMetadata(groupId, Empty, time))
-            doUnknownJoinGroup(group, groupInstanceId, requireKnownMemberId, clientId, clientHost, rebalanceTimeoutMs, sessionTimeoutMs, protocolType, protocols, responseCallback)
-          } else {
-            responseCallback(JoinGroupResult(memberId, Errors.UNKNOWN_MEMBER_ID))
-          }
+          responseCallback(JoinGroupResult(memberId, Errors.UNKNOWN_MEMBER_ID))
         case Some(group) =>
           group.inLock {
             if ((groupIsOverCapacity(group)
@@ -175,9 +169,9 @@ class GroupCoordinator(val brokerId: Int,
               joinPurgatory.checkAndComplete(GroupKey(group.groupId))
             }
           }
-        }
       }
     }
+  }
 
   private def doUnknownJoinGroup(group: GroupMetadata,
                                  groupInstanceId: Option[String],
diff --git a/core/src/main/scala/kafka/coordinator/group/GroupMetadataManager.scala b/core/src/main/scala/kafka/coordinator/group/GroupMetadataManager.scala
index 9f14e13435b19..230e30d079e7d 100644
--- a/core/src/main/scala/kafka/coordinator/group/GroupMetadataManager.scala
+++ b/core/src/main/scala/kafka/coordinator/group/GroupMetadataManager.scala
@@ -208,13 +208,25 @@ class GroupMetadataManager(brokerId: Int,
     case None =>
       false
   }
+
   /**
-   * Get the group associated with the given groupId, or null if not found
+   * Get the group associated with the given groupId or null if not found
    */
   def getGroup(groupId: String): Option[GroupMetadata] = {
     Option(groupMetadataCache.get(groupId))
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Get the group associated with the given groupId - the group is created if createIfNotExist
+   * is true - or null if not found
+   */
+  def getOrMaybeCreateGroup(groupId: String, createIfNotExist: Boolean): Option[GroupMetadata] = {
+    if (createIfNotExist)
+      Option(groupMetadataCache.getAndMaybePut(groupId, new GroupMetadata(groupId, Empty, time)))
+    else
+      Option(groupMetadataCache.get(groupId))
+  }
+
   /**
    * Add a group or get the group associated with the given groupId if it already exists
    */
diff --git a/core/src/test/scala/unit/kafka/coordinator/group/GroupCoordinatorConcurrencyTest.scala b/core/src/test/scala/unit/kafka/coordinator/group/GroupCoordinatorConcurrencyTest.scala
index 50f0f5e7334c3..a16aef7ea14a1 100644
--- a/core/src/test/scala/unit/kafka/coordinator/group/GroupCoordinatorConcurrencyTest.scala
+++ b/core/src/test/scala/unit/kafka/coordinator/group/GroupCoordinatorConcurrencyTest.scala
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
 
 package kafka.coordinator.group
 
+import java.util.Properties
 import java.util.concurrent.{ConcurrentHashMap, TimeUnit}
 
 import kafka.common.OffsetAndMetadata
@@ -69,6 +70,8 @@ class GroupCoordinatorConcurrencyTest extends AbstractCoordinatorConcurrencyTest
     new LeaveGroupOperation
   )
 
+  var heartbeatPurgatory: DelayedOperationPurgatory[DelayedHeartbeat] = _
+  var joinPurgatory: DelayedOperationPurgatory[DelayedJoin] = _
   var groupCoordinator: GroupCoordinator = _
 
   @Before
@@ -86,8 +89,8 @@ class GroupCoordinatorConcurrencyTest extends AbstractCoordinatorConcurrencyTest
 
     val config = KafkaConfig.fromProps(serverProps)
 
-    val heartbeatPurgatory = new DelayedOperationPurgatory[DelayedHeartbeat]("Heartbeat", timer, config.brokerId, reaperEnabled = false)
-    val joinPurgatory = new DelayedOperationPurgatory[DelayedJoin]("Rebalance", timer, config.brokerId, reaperEnabled = false)
+    heartbeatPurgatory = new DelayedOperationPurgatory[DelayedHeartbeat]("Heartbeat", timer, config.brokerId, reaperEnabled = false)
+    joinPurgatory = new DelayedOperationPurgatory[DelayedJoin]("Rebalance", timer, config.brokerId, reaperEnabled = false)
 
     groupCoordinator = GroupCoordinator(config, zkClient, replicaManager, heartbeatPurgatory, joinPurgatory, timer.time, new Metrics())
     groupCoordinator.startup(false)
@@ -124,6 +127,34 @@ class GroupCoordinatorConcurrencyTest extends AbstractCoordinatorConcurrencyTest
     verifyConcurrentRandomSequences(createGroupMembers, allOperationsWithTxn)
   }
 
+  @Test
+  def testConcurrentJoinGroupEnforceGroupMaxSize(): Unit = {
+    val groupMaxSize = 1
+    val newProperties = new Properties
+    newProperties.put(KafkaConfig.GroupMaxSizeProp, groupMaxSize.toString)
+    val config = KafkaConfig.fromProps(serverProps, newProperties)
+
+    if (groupCoordinator != null)
+      groupCoordinator.shutdown()
+    groupCoordinator = GroupCoordinator(config, zkClient, replicaManager, heartbeatPurgatory,
+      joinPurgatory, timer.time, new Metrics())
+    groupCoordinator.startup(false)
+
+    val members = new Group(s"group", nMembersPerGroup, groupCoordinator, replicaManager)
+      .members
+    val joinOp = new JoinGroupOperation()
+
+    verifyConcurrentActions(members.toSet.map(joinOp.actionNoVerify))
+
+    val errors = members.map { member =>
+      val joinGroupResult = joinOp.await(member, DefaultRebalanceTimeout)
+      joinGroupResult.error
+    }
+
+    assertEquals(groupMaxSize, errors.count(_ == Errors.NONE))
+    assertEquals(members.size-groupMaxSize, errors.count(_ == Errors.GROUP_MAX_SIZE_REACHED))
+  }
+
   abstract class GroupOperation[R, C] extends Operation {
     val responseFutures = new ConcurrentHashMap[GroupMember, Future[R]]()