diff --git a/pillar/application/modules/service.py b/pillar/application/modules/service.py
index 92ac874b..cd5d0868 100644
--- a/pillar/application/modules/service.py
+++ b/pillar/application/modules/service.py
@@ -12,6 +12,8 @@ from application.modules import local_auth
 blueprint = Blueprint('service', __name__)
 log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
+ROLES_WITH_GROUPS = {u'admin', u'demo', u'subscriber'}
+
 
 @blueprint.route('/badger', methods=['POST'])
 @authorization.require_login(require_roles={u'service', u'badger'}, require_all=True)
@@ -60,17 +62,55 @@ def badger():
         return 'User not found', 404
 
     # Apply the action
-    roles = set(db_user.get('roles', []) or [])
+    roles = set(db_user.get('roles') or [])
     if action == 'grant':
         roles.add(role)
     else:
         roles.discard(role)
+
+    groups = manage_user_group_membership(db_user, role, action)
+
+    updates = {'roles': list(roles)}
+    if groups is not None:
+        updates['groups'] = list(groups)
+
     users_coll.update_one({'_id': db_user['_id']},
-                          {'$set': {'roles': list(roles)}})
+                          {'$set': updates})
 
     return '', 204
 
 
+def manage_user_group_membership(db_user, role, action):
+    """Some roles have associated groups; this function maintains group & role membership.
+
+    Does NOT alter the given user, nor the database.
+
+    :return: the new groups of the user, or None if the groups shouldn't be changed.
+    :rtype: set
+    """
+
+    # Currently only three roles have associated groups.
+    if role not in ROLES_WITH_GROUPS:
+        return
+
+    # Find the group
+    groups_coll = current_app.data.driver.db['groups']
+    group = groups_coll.find_one({'name': role}, projection={'_id': 1})
+    if group is None:
+        log.warning('Group for role %r cannot be found, unable to %s members for user %s',
+                    role, action, db_user['_id'])
+        return
+    group_id = group['_id']
+
+    user_groups = set(db_user.get('groups') or [])
+    if action == 'grant':
+        user_groups.add(group_id)
+    else:
+        user_groups.discard(group_id)
+
+    return user_groups
+
+
 def create_service_account(email, roles, service):
     """Creates a service account with the given roles + the role 'service'.
 
diff --git a/tests/test_service_badger.py b/tests/test_service_badger.py
index 379fd3ed..943579c5 100644
--- a/tests/test_service_badger.py
+++ b/tests/test_service_badger.py
@@ -11,7 +11,8 @@ class BadgerServiceTest(AbstractPillarTest):
 
         with self.app.test_request_context():
             self.badger, token_doc = service.create_service_account(
-                'serviceaccount@example.com', [u'badger'], {u'badger': [u'succubus']}
+                'serviceaccount@example.com', [u'badger'],
+                {u'badger': [u'succubus', u'subscriber', u'demo']}
             )
             self.badger_token = token_doc['token']
 
@@ -49,3 +50,33 @@ class BadgerServiceTest(AbstractPillarTest):
         with self.app.test_request_context():
             user = self.app.data.driver.db['users'].find_one(self.user_id)
             self.assertNotIn(u'admin', user['roles'])
+
+    def test_group_membership(self):
+        """Certain roles are linked to certain groups."""
+
+        def test_for_group(group_name, test=self.assertIn):
+            # Create the group
+            with self.app.test_request_context():
+                groups_coll = self.app.data.driver.db['groups']
+                result = groups_coll.insert_one({'name': group_name})
+                group_id = result.inserted_id
+
+            # Assign the 'subscriber' role
+            resp = self._post({'action': 'grant',
+                               'user_email': self.user_email,
+                               'role': group_name})
+            self.assertEqual(204, resp.status_code)
+
+            # Check that the user is actually member of that group.
+            with self.app.test_request_context():
+                user = self.app.data.driver.db['users'].find_one(self.user_id)
+                test(group_id, user['groups'])
+
+        # There are special groups for those. Also for admin, but if
+        # it works for those, it also works for admin, and another test
+        # case requires admin to be ingrantable.
+        test_for_group('demo')
+        test_for_group('subscriber')
+
+        # This role isn't linked to group membership.
+        test_for_group('succubus', test=self.assertNotIn)