diff --git a/guix/scripts/environment.scm b/guix/scripts/environment.scm
index 597a5b4ab1..c27edc7982 100644
--- a/guix/scripts/environment.scm
+++ b/guix/scripts/environment.scm
@@ -469,6 +469,9 @@ will be used for the passwd entry.  LINK-PROFILE? creates a symbolic link from
                          (directory (if user
                                         (string-append "/home/" user)
                                         (passwd:dir pwd))))))
+            (groups   (list (group-entry (name "users") (gid 0))
+                            (group-entry (gid 65534) ;the overflow GID
+                                         (name "overflow"))))
             (home-dir (password-entry-directory passwd))
             ;; Bind-mount all requisite store items, user-specified mappings,
             ;; /bin/sh, the current working directory, and possibly networking
@@ -528,6 +531,7 @@ will be used for the passwd entry.  LINK-PROFILE? creates a symbolic link from
             ;; sharing the host's network namespace.
             (mkdir-p "/etc")
             (write-passwd (list passwd))
+            (write-group groups)
 
             ;; For convenience, start in the user's current working
             ;; directory rather than the root directory.
diff --git a/tests/guix-environment-container.sh b/tests/guix-environment-container.sh
index 059c4d9213..f2221af95b 100644
--- a/tests/guix-environment-container.sh
+++ b/tests/guix-environment-container.sh
@@ -46,9 +46,15 @@ fi
 
 if test "x$USER" = "x"; then USER="`id -un`"; fi
 
-# Check whether /etc/passwd is valid.
+# Check whether /etc/passwd and /etc/group are valid.
 guix environment -C --ad-hoc --bootstrap guile-bootstrap \
      -- guile -c "(exit (string=? \"$USER\" (passwd:name (getpwuid (getuid)))))"
+guix environment -C --ad-hoc --bootstrap guile-bootstrap \
+     -- guile -c '(exit (string? (group:name (getgrgid (getgid)))))'
+guix environment -C --ad-hoc --bootstrap guile-bootstrap \
+     -- guile -c '(use-modules (srfi srfi-1))
+                  (exit (every group:name
+                               (map getgrgid (vector->list (getgroups)))))'
 
 # Make sure file-not-found errors in mounts are reported.
 if guix environment --container --ad-hoc --bootstrap guile-bootstrap \