diff --git a/app/actions/filters-actions.c b/app/actions/filters-actions.c
index 521dbc4f40..a7090710ba 100644
--- a/app/actions/filters-actions.c
+++ b/app/actions/filters-actions.c
@@ -911,6 +911,7 @@ filters_actions_update (GimpActionGroup *group,
   gboolean      gray           = FALSE;
   gboolean      alpha          = FALSE;
   gboolean      supports_alpha = FALSE;
+  gboolean      is_group       = FALSE;
 
   image = action_data_get_image (data);
 
@@ -937,7 +938,7 @@ filters_actions_update (GimpActionGroup *group,
           writable = ! gimp_item_is_content_locked (item, NULL);
 
           if (gimp_viewable_get_children (GIMP_VIEWABLE (drawable)))
-            writable = FALSE;
+            is_group = TRUE;
         }
 
       g_list_free (drawables);
@@ -947,7 +948,7 @@ filters_actions_update (GimpActionGroup *group,
         gimp_action_group_set_action_sensitive (group, action, (condition) != 0, NULL)
 
   SET_SENSITIVE ("filters-alien-map",               writable);
-  SET_SENSITIVE ("filters-antialias",               writable);
+  SET_SENSITIVE ("filters-antialias",               writable && !is_group);
   SET_SENSITIVE ("filters-apply-canvas",            writable);
   SET_SENSITIVE ("filters-apply-lens",              writable);
   SET_SENSITIVE ("filters-bayer-matrix",            writable);
@@ -974,11 +975,11 @@ filters_actions_update (GimpActionGroup *group,
   SET_SENSITIVE ("filters-desaturate",              writable && !gray);
   SET_SENSITIVE ("filters-difference-of-gaussians", writable);
   SET_SENSITIVE ("filters-diffraction-patterns",    writable);
-  SET_SENSITIVE ("filters-dilate",                  writable);
+  SET_SENSITIVE ("filters-dilate",                  writable && !is_group);
   SET_SENSITIVE ("filters-displace",                writable);
   SET_SENSITIVE ("filters-distance-map",            writable);
   SET_SENSITIVE ("filters-dropshadow",              writable && alpha);
-  SET_SENSITIVE ("filters-edge",                    writable);
+  SET_SENSITIVE ("filters-edge",                    writable && !is_group);
   SET_SENSITIVE ("filters-edge-laplace",            writable);
   SET_SENSITIVE ("filters-edge-neon",               writable);
   SET_SENSITIVE ("filters-edge-sobel",              writable);
@@ -997,9 +998,9 @@ filters_actions_update (GimpActionGroup *group,
   SET_SENSITIVE ("filters-hue-chroma",              writable);
   SET_SENSITIVE ("filters-hue-saturation",          writable && !gray);
   SET_SENSITIVE ("filters-illusion",                writable);
-  SET_SENSITIVE ("filters-invert-linear",           writable);
-  SET_SENSITIVE ("filters-invert-perceptual",       writable);
-  SET_SENSITIVE ("filters-invert-value",            writable);
+  SET_SENSITIVE ("filters-invert-linear",           writable && !is_group);
+  SET_SENSITIVE ("filters-invert-perceptual",       writable && !is_group);
+  SET_SENSITIVE ("filters-invert-value",            writable && !is_group);
   SET_SENSITIVE ("filters-image-gradient",          writable);
   SET_SENSITIVE ("filters-kaleidoscope",            writable);
   SET_SENSITIVE ("filters-lens-blur",               writable);
diff --git a/app/core/gimpimage-merge.c b/app/core/gimpimage-merge.c
index cd4a32c6ea..d71dae6c00 100644
--- a/app/core/gimpimage-merge.c
+++ b/app/core/gimpimage-merge.c
@@ -448,6 +448,10 @@ gimp_image_merge_group_layer (GimpImage      *image,
       gimp_layer_set_composite_mode  (GIMP_LAYER (group), composite_mode,         TRUE);
     }
 
+  /* Merge down filter effects */
+  gimp_drawable_merge_filters (GIMP_DRAWABLE (group));
+  gimp_drawable_clear_filters (GIMP_DRAWABLE (group));
+
   layer = GIMP_LAYER (gimp_item_duplicate (GIMP_ITEM (group),
                                            GIMP_TYPE_LAYER));
 
diff --git a/app/tools/gimpfiltertool.c b/app/tools/gimpfiltertool.c
index 829bf21c83..6ebb425c3b 100644
--- a/app/tools/gimpfiltertool.c
+++ b/app/tools/gimpfiltertool.c
@@ -304,15 +304,6 @@ gimp_filter_tool_initialize (GimpTool     *tool,
     }
   drawable = drawables->data;
 
-  if (gimp_viewable_get_children (GIMP_VIEWABLE (drawable)))
-    {
-      g_set_error_literal (error, GIMP_ERROR, GIMP_FAILED,
-                           _("Cannot modify the pixels of layer groups."));
-
-      g_list_free (drawables);
-      return FALSE;
-    }
-
   if (gimp_item_is_content_locked (GIMP_ITEM (drawable), &locked_item))
     {
       g_set_error_literal (error, GIMP_ERROR, GIMP_FAILED,
diff --git a/app/widgets/gimpitemtreeview.c b/app/widgets/gimpitemtreeview.c
index 465290f3a1..84bec9df36 100644
--- a/app/widgets/gimpitemtreeview.c
+++ b/app/widgets/gimpitemtreeview.c
@@ -2732,7 +2732,8 @@ gimp_item_tree_view_effects_merged_clicked (GtkWidget        *widget,
       return;
     }
 
-  if (view->priv->effects_drawable)
+  if (view->priv->effects_drawable &&
+      ! gimp_viewable_get_children (GIMP_VIEWABLE (view->priv->effects_drawable)))
     {
       GimpImage *image = view->priv->image;
       GeglNode  *op    = gimp_drawable_filter_get_operation (view->priv->effects_filter);
@@ -3239,12 +3240,20 @@ static void
 gimp_item_tree_effects_set_sensitive (GimpItemTreeView *view,
                                       gboolean          is_sensitive)
 {
+  gboolean is_group = FALSE;
+
+  /* Do not allow merging down effects on group layers */
+  if (view->priv->effects_drawable &&
+      gimp_viewable_get_children (GIMP_VIEWABLE (view->priv->effects_drawable)))
+    is_group = TRUE;
+
   gtk_widget_set_sensitive (view->priv->effects_box, is_sensitive);
   gtk_widget_set_sensitive (view->priv->effects_visible_button, is_sensitive);
   gtk_widget_set_sensitive (view->priv->effects_edit_button, is_sensitive);
   gtk_widget_set_sensitive (view->priv->effects_raise_button, is_sensitive);
   gtk_widget_set_sensitive (view->priv->effects_lower_button, is_sensitive);
-  gtk_widget_set_sensitive (view->priv->effects_merge_button, is_sensitive);
+  gtk_widget_set_sensitive (view->priv->effects_merge_button,
+                            (is_sensitive && ! is_group));
   gtk_widget_set_sensitive (view->priv->effects_remove_button, is_sensitive);
 }