diff --git a/src/databricks/labs/ucx/cli.py b/src/databricks/labs/ucx/cli.py
index 02b4fb782a..91156c26a0 100644
--- a/src/databricks/labs/ucx/cli.py
+++ b/src/databricks/labs/ucx/cli.py
@@ -652,7 +652,11 @@ def assign_owner_group(
     else:
         workspace_contexts = _get_workspace_contexts(w, a, run_as_collection)
 
-    owner_group = workspace_contexts[0].group_manager.pick_owner_group(prompts)
+    username = w.current_user.me().user_name
+    if not username:
+        logger.error("Couldn't find the username of the current user.")
+        return
+    owner_group = workspace_contexts[0].group_manager.pick_owner_group(prompts, username)
     if not owner_group:
         return
     for workspace_context in workspace_contexts:
diff --git a/src/databricks/labs/ucx/workspace_access/groups.py b/src/databricks/labs/ucx/workspace_access/groups.py
index 4c33d17f1c..230db5dcae 100644
--- a/src/databricks/labs/ucx/workspace_access/groups.py
+++ b/src/databricks/labs/ucx/workspace_access/groups.py
@@ -624,13 +624,13 @@ def delete_original_workspace_groups(self):
         # Step 3: Confirm that enumeration no longer returns the deleted groups.
         self._wait_for_deleted_workspace_groups(deleted_groups)
 
-    def pick_owner_group(self, prompt: Prompts) -> str | None:
+    def pick_owner_group(self, prompt: Prompts, username: str) -> str | None:
         # This method is used to select the group that will be used as the owner group.
         # The owner group will be assigned by default to all migrated tables/schemas
-        groups = self._user_account_groups(self._ws.current_user.me().user_name)
+        groups = self._user_account_groups(username)
         if not groups:
             logger.warning("No account groups found for the current user.")
-            return
+            return None
         if len(groups) == 1:
             return groups[0].display_name
         group_names = [group.display_name for group in groups]
@@ -638,8 +638,13 @@ def pick_owner_group(self, prompt: Prompts) -> str | None:
 
     def _user_account_groups(self, username: str) -> list[Group]:
         # This method is used to find all the account groups that a user is a member of.
-        groups = []
-        for group in self._list_account_groups("id,displayName,externalId,members"):
+        groups: list[Group] = []
+        account_groups = self._list_account_groups("id,displayName,externalId,members")
+        if not account_groups:
+            return groups
+        for group in account_groups:
+            if not group.members:
+                continue
             for member in group.members:
                 if member.display == username:
                     groups.append(group)
@@ -816,8 +821,9 @@ def _list_account_groups(self, scim_attributes: str) -> list[iam.Group]:
                 continue
             account_groups.append(group)
         logger.info(f"Found {len(account_groups)} account groups")
-        sorted_groups: list[iam.Group] = sorted(account_groups,
-                                                key=lambda _: _.display_name)  # type: ignore[arg-type,return-value]
+        sorted_groups: list[iam.Group] = sorted(
+            account_groups, key=lambda _: _.display_name if _.display_name else ""
+        )  # type: ignore[arg-type,return-value]
         return sorted_groups
 
     def _delete_workspace_group_and_wait_for_deletion(self, group_id: str, display_name: str) -> str:
diff --git a/tests/integration/hive_metastore/test_catalog_schema.py b/tests/integration/hive_metastore/test_catalog_schema.py
index 7d8d368ba4..4ab8e2c354 100644
--- a/tests/integration/hive_metastore/test_catalog_schema.py
+++ b/tests/integration/hive_metastore/test_catalog_schema.py
@@ -170,8 +170,10 @@ def test_create_catalog_schema_with_legacy_hive_metastore_privileges(
     def get_schema_permissions_list(full_name: str) -> PermissionsList:
         return ws.grants.get(SecurableType.SCHEMA, full_name)
 
-    assert (ws.schemas.get(f"{dst_catalog_name}.{dst_schema_name}").owner ==
-            runtime_ctx.workspace_client.current_user.me().user_name)
+    assert (
+        ws.schemas.get(f"{dst_catalog_name}.{dst_schema_name}").owner
+        == runtime_ctx.workspace_client.current_user.me().user_name
+    )
     schema_grants = get_schema_permissions_list(f"{dst_catalog_name}.{dst_schema_name}")
     assert schema_grants.privilege_assignments is not None
     assert PrivilegeAssignment(table_owner.user_name, [Privilege.USE_SCHEMA]) in schema_grants.privilege_assignments