diff --git a/lib/discourse_plugin_registry.rb b/lib/discourse_plugin_registry.rb
index 9f0fd9e6082..daaa144b367 100644
--- a/lib/discourse_plugin_registry.rb
+++ b/lib/discourse_plugin_registry.rb
@@ -106,6 +106,8 @@ class DiscoursePluginRegistry
   define_filtered_register :hashtag_autocomplete_data_sources
   define_filtered_register :hashtag_autocomplete_contextual_type_priorities
 
+  define_filtered_register :search_groups_set_query_callbacks
+
   def self.register_auth_provider(auth_provider)
     self.auth_providers << auth_provider
   end
diff --git a/lib/plugin/instance.rb b/lib/plugin/instance.rb
index fc69c104760..743f35283e5 100644
--- a/lib/plugin/instance.rb
+++ b/lib/plugin/instance.rb
@@ -1292,6 +1292,10 @@ class Plugin::Instance
     DiscoursePluginRegistry.register_topic_preloader_association(fields, self)
   end
 
+  def register_search_group_query_callback(callback)
+    DiscoursePluginRegistry.register_search_groups_set_query_callback(callback, self)
+  end
+
   private
 
   def validate_directory_column_name(column_name)
diff --git a/lib/search.rb b/lib/search.rb
index e81b7ab0d93..77748100573 100644
--- a/lib/search.rb
+++ b/lib/search.rb
@@ -615,12 +615,17 @@ class Search
   end
 
   advanced_filter(/^group:(.+)$/i) do |posts, match|
-    group_id =
+    group_query =
       Group
         .visible_groups(@guardian.user)
         .members_visible_groups(@guardian.user)
-        .where("name ilike ? OR (id = ? AND id > 0)", match, match.to_i)
-        .pluck_first(:id)
+        .where("groups.name ILIKE ? OR (id = ? AND id > 0)", match, match.to_i)
+
+    DiscoursePluginRegistry.search_groups_set_query_callbacks.each do |cb|
+      group_query = cb.call(group_query, @term, @guardian)
+    end
+
+    group_id = group_query.pluck_first(:id)
 
     if group_id
       posts.where(
@@ -944,11 +949,17 @@ class Search
   end
 
   def groups_search
-    groups =
-      Group
-        .visible_groups(@guardian.user, "name ASC", include_everyone: false)
-        .where("name ILIKE :term OR full_name ILIKE :term", term: "%#{@term}%")
-        .limit(limit)
+    group_query =
+      Group.visible_groups(@guardian.user, "groups.name ASC", include_everyone: false).where(
+        "groups.name ILIKE :term OR groups.full_name ILIKE :term",
+        term: "%#{@term}%",
+      )
+
+    DiscoursePluginRegistry.search_groups_set_query_callbacks.each do |cb|
+      group_query = cb.call(group_query, @term, @guardian)
+    end
+
+    groups = group_query.limit(limit)
 
     groups.each { |group| @results.add(group) }
   end
diff --git a/spec/lib/search_spec.rb b/spec/lib/search_spec.rb
index 01640a5f99b..4388a13ebde 100644
--- a/spec/lib/search_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/lib/search_spec.rb
@@ -897,7 +897,7 @@ RSpec.describe Search do
       result = Search.execute("search term")
 
       expect(result.posts.first.topic_title_headline).to eq(<<~HTML.chomp)
-      Very very very very very very very long topic title with our <span class=\"#{Search::HIGHLIGHT_CSS_CLASS}\">search</span> <span class=\"#{Search::HIGHLIGHT_CSS_CLASS}\">term</span> in the middle of the title
+        Very very very very very very very long topic title with our <span class=\"#{Search::HIGHLIGHT_CSS_CLASS}\">search</span> <span class=\"#{Search::HIGHLIGHT_CSS_CLASS}\">term</span> in the middle of the title
       HTML
     end
 
@@ -1316,7 +1316,28 @@ RSpec.describe Search do
 
       context "with non staff logged in" do
         it "shows doesn’t show group" do
-          expect(search.groups.map(&:name)).to be_empty
+        end
+      end
+    end
+
+    context "with registered plugin callbacks" do
+      let!(:group) { Fabricate(:group, name: "plugin-special") }
+
+      context "when :search_groups_set_query_callback is registered" do
+        it "changes the search results" do
+          # initial result (without applying the plugin callback )
+          expect(search.groups.map(&:name).include?("plugin-special")).to eq(true)
+
+          DiscoursePluginRegistry.register_search_groups_set_query_callback(
+            Proc.new { |query, term, guardian| query.where.not(name: "plugin-special") },
+            Plugin::Instance.new,
+          )
+
+          # after using the callback we expect the search result to be changed because the
+          # query was altered
+          expect(search.groups.map(&:name).include?("plugin-special")).to eq(false)
+
+          DiscoursePluginRegistry.reset_register!(:search_groups_set_query_callbacks)
         end
       end
     end
@@ -1780,6 +1801,31 @@ RSpec.describe Search do
           Search.execute("group:#{group.id}", guardian: Guardian.new(user)).posts,
         ).to contain_exactly(post)
       end
+
+      context "with registered plugin callbacks" do
+        context "when :search_groups_set_query_callback is registered" do
+          it "changes the search results" do
+            group.update!(
+              visibility_level: Group.visibility_levels[:public],
+              members_visibility_level: Group.visibility_levels[:public],
+            )
+
+            # initial result (without applying the plugin callback )
+            expect(Search.execute("group:like_a_boss").posts).to contain_exactly(post)
+
+            DiscoursePluginRegistry.register_search_groups_set_query_callback(
+              Proc.new { |query, term, guardian| query.where.not(name: "Like_a_Boss") },
+              Plugin::Instance.new,
+            )
+
+            # after using the callback we expect the search result to be changed because the
+            # query was altered
+            expect(Search.execute("group:like_a_boss").posts).to be_blank
+
+            DiscoursePluginRegistry.reset_register!(:search_groups_set_query_callbacks)
+          end
+        end
+      end
     end
 
     it "supports badge" do
@@ -2356,7 +2402,7 @@ RSpec.describe Search do
       expect(results.posts.length).to eq(1)
 
       # TODO: this is a test we need to fix!
-      #expect(results.blurb(results.posts.first)).to include('Rágis')
+      # expect(results.blurb(results.posts.first)).to include('Rágis')
 
       results = Search.execute("สวัสดี", type_filter: "topic")
       expect(results.posts.length).to eq(1)