diff --git a/pkg/kfake/08_offset_commit.go b/pkg/kfake/08_offset_commit.go
index 692f4cc0..b82400e0 100644
--- a/pkg/kfake/08_offset_commit.go
+++ b/pkg/kfake/08_offset_commit.go
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 package kfake
 
 import (
-	"github.com/twmb/franz-go/pkg/kerr"
 	"github.com/twmb/franz-go/pkg/kmsg"
 )
 
@@ -9,16 +8,11 @@ func init() { regKey(8, 0, 8) }
 
 func (c *Cluster) handleOffsetCommit(creq *clientReq) (kmsg.Response, error) {
 	req := creq.kreq.(*kmsg.OffsetCommitRequest)
-	resp := req.ResponseKind().(*kmsg.OffsetCommitResponse)
 
 	if err := checkReqVersion(req.Key(), req.Version); err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
-	if c.groups.handleOffsetCommit(creq) {
-		return nil, nil
-	}
-
-	fillOffsetCommit(req, resp, kerr.GroupIDNotFound.Code)
-	return resp, nil
+	c.groups.handleOffsetCommit(creq)
+	return nil, nil
 }
diff --git a/pkg/kfake/groups.go b/pkg/kfake/groups.go
index a0e5a98e..eec79391 100644
--- a/pkg/kfake/groups.go
+++ b/pkg/kfake/groups.go
@@ -132,6 +132,20 @@ func generateMemberID(clientID string, instanceID *string) string {
 // GROUPS //
 ////////////
 
+func (gs *groups) newGroup(name string) *group {
+	return &group{
+		c:         gs.c,
+		gs:        gs,
+		name:      name,
+		members:   make(map[string]*groupMember),
+		pending:   make(map[string]*groupMember),
+		protocols: make(map[string]int),
+		reqCh:     make(chan *clientReq),
+		controlCh: make(chan func()),
+		quitCh:    make(chan struct{}),
+	}
+}
+
 // handleJoin completely hijacks the incoming request.
 func (gs *groups) handleJoin(creq *clientReq) {
 	if gs.gs == nil {
@@ -141,17 +155,7 @@ func (gs *groups) handleJoin(creq *clientReq) {
 start:
 	g := gs.gs[req.Group]
 	if g == nil {
-		g = &group{
-			c:         gs.c,
-			gs:        gs,
-			name:      req.Group,
-			members:   make(map[string]*groupMember),
-			pending:   make(map[string]*groupMember),
-			protocols: make(map[string]int),
-			reqCh:     make(chan *clientReq),
-			controlCh: make(chan func()),
-			quitCh:    make(chan struct{}),
-		}
+		g = gs.newGroup(req.Group)
 		waitJoin := make(chan struct{})
 		gs.gs[req.Group] = g
 		go g.manage(func() { close(waitJoin) })
@@ -194,8 +198,25 @@ func (gs *groups) handleLeave(creq *clientReq) bool {
 	return gs.handleHijack(creq.kreq.(*kmsg.LeaveGroupRequest).Group, creq)
 }
 
-func (gs *groups) handleOffsetCommit(creq *clientReq) bool {
-	return gs.handleHijack(creq.kreq.(*kmsg.OffsetCommitRequest).Group, creq)
+func (gs *groups) handleOffsetCommit(creq *clientReq) {
+	if gs.gs == nil {
+		gs.gs = make(map[string]*group)
+	}
+	req := creq.kreq.(*kmsg.OffsetCommitRequest)
+start:
+	g := gs.gs[req.Group]
+	if g == nil {
+		g = gs.newGroup(req.Group)
+		waitCommit := make(chan struct{})
+		gs.gs[req.Group] = g
+		go g.manage(func() { close(waitCommit) })
+		defer func() { <-waitCommit }()
+	}
+	select {
+	case g.reqCh <- creq:
+	case <-g.quitCh:
+		goto start
+	}
 }
 
 func (gs *groups) handleOffsetDelete(creq *clientReq) bool {
@@ -551,7 +572,9 @@ func (g *group) manage(detachNew func()) {
 			case *kmsg.LeaveGroupRequest:
 				kresp = g.handleLeave(creq)
 			case *kmsg.OffsetCommitRequest:
-				kresp = g.handleOffsetCommit(creq)
+				var ok bool
+				kresp, ok = g.handleOffsetCommit(creq)
+				firstJoin(ok)
 			case *kmsg.OffsetDeleteRequest:
 				kresp = g.handleOffsetDelete(creq)
 			}
@@ -807,34 +830,60 @@ func fillOffsetCommit(req *kmsg.OffsetCommitRequest, resp *kmsg.OffsetCommitResp
 }
 
 // Handles a commit.
-func (g *group) handleOffsetCommit(creq *clientReq) *kmsg.OffsetCommitResponse {
+func (g *group) handleOffsetCommit(creq *clientReq) (*kmsg.OffsetCommitResponse, bool) {
 	req := creq.kreq.(*kmsg.OffsetCommitRequest)
 	resp := req.ResponseKind().(*kmsg.OffsetCommitResponse)
 
 	if kerr := g.c.validateGroup(creq, req.Group); kerr != nil {
 		fillOffsetCommit(req, resp, kerr.Code)
-		return resp
+		return resp, false
 	}
 	if req.InstanceID != nil {
 		fillOffsetCommit(req, resp, kerr.InvalidGroupID.Code)
-		return resp
-	}
-	m, ok := g.members[req.MemberID]
-	if !ok {
-		fillOffsetCommit(req, resp, kerr.UnknownMemberID.Code)
-		return resp
+		return resp, false
 	}
-	if req.Generation != g.generation {
-		fillOffsetCommit(req, resp, kerr.IllegalGeneration.Code)
-		return resp
+
+	var m *groupMember
+	if len(g.members) > 0 {
+		var ok bool
+		m, ok = g.members[req.MemberID]
+		if !ok {
+			fillOffsetCommit(req, resp, kerr.UnknownMemberID.Code)
+			return resp, false
+		}
+		if req.Generation != g.generation {
+			fillOffsetCommit(req, resp, kerr.IllegalGeneration.Code)
+			return resp, false
+		}
+	} else {
+		if req.MemberID != "" {
+			fillOffsetCommit(req, resp, kerr.UnknownMemberID.Code)
+			return resp, false
+		}
+		if req.Generation != -1 {
+			fillOffsetCommit(req, resp, kerr.IllegalGeneration.Code)
+			return resp, false
+		}
+		if g.state != groupEmpty {
+			panic("invalid state: no members, but group not empty")
+		}
 	}
 
 	switch g.state {
 	default:
 		fillOffsetCommit(req, resp, kerr.GroupIDNotFound.Code)
-		return resp
+		return resp, true
 	case groupEmpty:
-		// for when we support empty group commits
+		for _, t := range req.Topics {
+			for _, p := range t.Partitions {
+				g.commits.set(t.Topic, p.Partition, offsetCommit{
+					offset:      p.Offset,
+					leaderEpoch: p.LeaderEpoch,
+					metadata:    p.Metadata,
+				})
+			}
+		}
+		fillOffsetCommit(req, resp, 0)
 	case groupPreparingRebalance, groupStable:
 		for _, t := range req.Topics {
 			for _, p := range t.Partitions {
@@ -851,7 +900,7 @@ func (g *group) handleOffsetCommit(creq *clientReq) *kmsg.OffsetCommitResponse {
 		fillOffsetCommit(req, resp, kerr.RebalanceInProgress.Code)
 		g.updateHeartbeat(m)
 	}
-	return resp
+	return resp, true
 }
 
 // Transitions the group to the preparing rebalance state. We first need to