diff --git a/.luacheckrc b/.luacheckrc
index be1d024..916c783 100644
--- a/.luacheckrc
+++ b/.luacheckrc
@@ -4,6 +4,9 @@ globals = {
 }
 
 read_globals = {
+	string = {fields = {"split"}},
+    table = {fields = {"copy", "getn"}},
+
 	"default",
 	"mcl_sounds",
 	"ks_sounds",
diff --git a/init.lua b/init.lua
index 2013a94..e20cbb9 100644
--- a/init.lua
+++ b/init.lua
@@ -12,6 +12,8 @@ xcompat.materials = dofile(modpath .. "/src/materials.lua")
 xcompat.textures = dofile(modpath .. "/src/textures.lua")
 xcompat.functions = dofile(modpath .. "/src/functions.lua")
 
+dofile(modpath .. "/src/groups.lua")
+
 local function validate_sound(key)
     if key and xcompat.sounds[key] then
         return true
diff --git a/src/groups.lua b/src/groups.lua
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1799336
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/groups.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+local function on_mods_loaded()
+    for name, def in pairs(minetest.registered_nodes) do
+        if def.groups and def.groups.xcompat_autohandle_groups and def.groups.xcompat_autohandle_groups==1 then
+            local groups = table.copy(def.groups)
+
+            groups.xcompat_autohandle_groups = nil
+            groups.xcompat_was_handled = 1
+
+            minetest.override_item(name, {
+                groups = groups
+            })
+        end
+    end
+
+    --todo: override minetest.register_node to handle groups registered after this point
+end
+
+--sticking it at the front so that our overrides are applied first
+table.insert(minetest.registered_on_mods_loaded, 1, on_mods_loaded)
+
+--test node, delete before merge
+minetest.register_node("xcompat:groups_test", {
+    description = "xCompat Groups test",
+    groups = {xcompat_autohandle_groups=1},
+    tiles = {xcompat.textures.gravel},
+})
\ No newline at end of file