diff --git a/backend/open_webui/config.py b/backend/open_webui/config.py
index 5029fb7cae..0760b4b812 100644
--- a/backend/open_webui/config.py
+++ b/backend/open_webui/config.py
@@ -1299,17 +1299,6 @@ DEFAULT_GROUP_ID = PersistentConfig(
     os.environ.get("DEFAULT_GROUP_ID", ""),
 )
 
-# Controls the default "Who can share to this group" setting for new groups.
-# Env var values: "true" (anyone), "false" (no one), "members" (only group members).
-_default_group_share = os.environ.get(
-    "DEFAULT_GROUP_SHARE_PERMISSION", "members"
-).strip().lower()
-DEFAULT_GROUP_SHARE_PERMISSION = (
-    "members"
-    if _default_group_share == "members"
-    else _default_group_share == "true"
-)
-
 PENDING_USER_OVERLAY_TITLE = PersistentConfig(
     "PENDING_USER_OVERLAY_TITLE",
     "ui.pending_user_overlay_title",
diff --git a/backend/open_webui/env.py b/backend/open_webui/env.py
index 4ce05df3c4..30d2021378 100644
--- a/backend/open_webui/env.py
+++ b/backend/open_webui/env.py
@@ -1041,3 +1041,18 @@ PIP_PACKAGE_INDEX_OPTIONS = os.getenv("PIP_PACKAGE_INDEX_OPTIONS", "").split()
 ####################################
 
 EXTERNAL_PWA_MANIFEST_URL = os.environ.get("EXTERNAL_PWA_MANIFEST_URL")
+
+####################################
+# GROUP DEFAULTS
+####################################
+
+# Controls the default "Who can share to this group" setting for new groups.
+# Env var values: "true" (anyone), "false" (no one), "members" (only group members).
+_default_group_share = os.environ.get(
+    "DEFAULT_GROUP_SHARE_PERMISSION", "members"
+).strip().lower()
+DEFAULT_GROUP_SHARE_PERMISSION = (
+    "members"
+    if _default_group_share == "members"
+    else _default_group_share == "true"
+)
diff --git a/backend/open_webui/models/groups.py b/backend/open_webui/models/groups.py
index ff6d61b929..4c7f456e59 100644
--- a/backend/open_webui/models/groups.py
+++ b/backend/open_webui/models/groups.py
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ import uuid
 
 from sqlalchemy.orm import Session
 from open_webui.internal.db import Base, JSONField, get_db, get_db_context
-from open_webui.config import DEFAULT_GROUP_SHARE_PERMISSION
+from open_webui.env import DEFAULT_GROUP_SHARE_PERMISSION
 
 from open_webui.models.files import FileMetadataResponse