diff --git a/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/ContactSelectionListFragment.java b/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/ContactSelectionListFragment.java
index 4acd5d6e06..eb66a21606 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/ContactSelectionListFragment.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/ContactSelectionListFragment.java
@@ -251,7 +251,11 @@ public final class ContactSelectionListFragment extends    Fragment
     RecyclerViewConcatenateAdapterStickyHeader concatenateAdapter = new RecyclerViewConcatenateAdapterStickyHeader();
 
     if (listCallback != null && FeatureFlags.newGroupUI()) {
-      headerAdapter = new FixedViewsAdapter(createNewGroupItem(listCallback));
+      if (FeatureFlags.groupsV2create() && FeatureFlags.groupsV2internalTest()) {
+        headerAdapter = new FixedViewsAdapter(createNewGroupItem(listCallback), createNewGroupsV1GroupItem(listCallback));
+      } else {
+        headerAdapter = new FixedViewsAdapter(createNewGroupItem(listCallback));
+      }
       headerAdapter.hide();
       concatenateAdapter.addAdapter(headerAdapter);
     }
@@ -288,7 +292,14 @@ public final class ContactSelectionListFragment extends    Fragment
   private View createNewGroupItem(@NonNull ListCallback listCallback) {
     View view = LayoutInflater.from(requireContext())
                               .inflate(R.layout.contact_selection_new_group_item, (ViewGroup) requireView(), false);
-    view.setOnClickListener(v -> listCallback.onNewGroup());
+    view.setOnClickListener(v -> listCallback.onNewGroup(false));
+    return view;
+  }
+
+  private View createNewGroupsV1GroupItem(@NonNull ListCallback listCallback) {
+    View view = LayoutInflater.from(requireContext())
+                              .inflate(R.layout.contact_selection_new_group_v1_item, (ViewGroup) requireView(), false);
+    view.setOnClickListener(v -> listCallback.onNewGroup(true));
     return view;
   }
 
@@ -592,7 +603,7 @@ public final class ContactSelectionListFragment extends    Fragment
 
   public interface ListCallback {
     void onInvite();
-    void onNewGroup();
+    void onNewGroup(boolean forceV1);
   }
 
   public interface ScrollCallback {
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/MainNavigator.java b/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/MainNavigator.java
index 8742d30e63..0306b27240 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/MainNavigator.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/MainNavigator.java
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ public class MainNavigator {
   }
 
   public void goToGroupCreation() {
-    activity.startActivity(CreateGroupActivity.newIntent(activity));
+    activity.startActivity(CreateGroupActivity.newIntent(activity, true));
   }
 
   public void goToInvite() {
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/NewConversationActivity.java b/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/NewConversationActivity.java
index e268aeb963..5124a2b8b9 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/NewConversationActivity.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/NewConversationActivity.java
@@ -83,10 +83,10 @@ public class NewConversationActivity extends ContactSelectionActivity
     super.onOptionsItemSelected(item);
 
     switch (item.getItemId()) {
-    case android.R.id.home:   super.onBackPressed(); return true;
-    case R.id.menu_refresh:   handleManualRefresh(); return true;
-    case R.id.menu_new_group: handleCreateGroup();   return true;
-    case R.id.menu_invite:    handleInvite();        return true;
+    case android.R.id.home:   super.onBackPressed();   return true;
+    case R.id.menu_refresh:   handleManualRefresh();   return true;
+    case R.id.menu_new_group: handleCreateGroup(true); return true;
+    case R.id.menu_invite:    handleInvite();          return true;
     }
 
     return false;
@@ -97,8 +97,8 @@ public class NewConversationActivity extends ContactSelectionActivity
     onRefresh();
   }
 
-  private void handleCreateGroup() {
-    startActivity(CreateGroupActivity.newIntent(this));
+  private void handleCreateGroup(boolean forceV1) {
+    startActivity(CreateGroupActivity.newIntent(this, forceV1));
   }
 
   private void handleInvite() {
@@ -121,8 +121,8 @@ public class NewConversationActivity extends ContactSelectionActivity
   }
 
   @Override
-  public void onNewGroup() {
-    handleCreateGroup();
+  public void onNewGroup(boolean forceV1) {
+    handleCreateGroup(forceV1);
     finish();
   }
 }
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/groups/ui/creategroup/CreateGroupActivity.java b/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/groups/ui/creategroup/CreateGroupActivity.java
index 0a6c62c538..a3e1167ce7 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/groups/ui/creategroup/CreateGroupActivity.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/groups/ui/creategroup/CreateGroupActivity.java
@@ -29,8 +29,8 @@ public class CreateGroupActivity extends ContactSelectionActivity {
 
   private View next;
 
-  public static Intent newIntent(@NonNull Context context) {
-    if (!FeatureFlags.newGroupUI() || !FeatureFlags.groupsV2create()) {
+  public static Intent newIntent(@NonNull Context context, boolean forceV1) {
+    if (forceV1 || !FeatureFlags.newGroupUI() || !FeatureFlags.groupsV2create()) {
       return new Intent(context, GroupCreateActivity.class);
     }
 
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/util/FeatureFlags.java b/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/util/FeatureFlags.java
index f206cc93fa..c598a8796d 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/util/FeatureFlags.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/util/FeatureFlags.java
@@ -66,6 +66,7 @@ public final class FeatureFlags {
   private static final String GROUPS_V2                  = "android.groupsv2";
   private static final String GROUPS_V2_CREATE           = "android.groupsv2.create";
   private static final String GROUPS_V2_CAPACITY         = "android.groupsv2.capacity";
+  private static final String GROUPS_V2_INTERNAL_TEST    = "android.groupsv2.internalTest";
 
   /**
    * We will only store remote values for flags in this set. If you want a flag to be controllable
@@ -89,7 +90,8 @@ public final class FeatureFlags {
       GROUPS_V2,
       GROUPS_V2_CREATE,
       GROUPS_V2_CAPACITY,
-      NEW_GROUP_UI
+      NEW_GROUP_UI,
+      GROUPS_V2_INTERNAL_TEST
   );
 
   /**
@@ -292,6 +294,11 @@ public final class FeatureFlags {
     return getInteger(GROUPS_V2_CAPACITY, 100);
   }
 
+  /** Groups v2 UI for internal testing. */
+  public static boolean groupsV2internalTest() {
+    return groupsV2() && getBoolean(GROUPS_V2_INTERNAL_TEST, false);
+  }
+
   /** Only for rendering debug info. */
   public static synchronized @NonNull Map<String, Object> getMemoryValues() {
     return new TreeMap<>(REMOTE_VALUES);
diff --git a/app/src/main/res/layout/contact_selection_new_group_v1_item.xml b/app/src/main/res/layout/contact_selection_new_group_v1_item.xml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..ef31959b25
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/src/main/res/layout/contact_selection_new_group_v1_item.xml
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
+<TextView xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
+    xmlns:app="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res-auto"
+    xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools"
+    style="@style/Signal.Text.Body"
+    android:layout_width="match_parent"
+    android:layout_height="@dimen/contact_selection_item_height"
+    android:drawablePadding="16dp"
+    android:ellipsize="marquee"
+    android:fontFamily="sans-serif-medium"
+    android:gravity="center_vertical|start"
+    android:labelFor="@id/action_icon"
+    android:paddingStart="@dimen/selection_item_header_width"
+    android:singleLine="true"
+    android:text="@string/contact_selection_activity__new_gv1_group"
+    android:textAlignment="viewStart"
+    app:drawableStartCompat="?attr/contact_selection_new_group_icon"
+    tools:ignore="RtlSymmetry" />
diff --git a/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml b/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml
index 99c4fdb9e1..cf1ea31ee9 100644
--- a/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml
+++ b/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml
@@ -1353,6 +1353,8 @@
     <string name="contact_selection_activity__enter_name_or_number">Enter name or number</string>
     <string name="contact_selection_activity__invite_to_signal">Invite to Signal</string>
     <string name="contact_selection_activity__new_group">New group</string>
+    <!-- temporary for internal testing -->
+    <string name="contact_selection_activity__new_gv1_group" translatable="false">New old style group (GV1)</string>
 
     <!-- contact_filter_toolbar -->
     <string name="contact_filter_toolbar__clear_entered_text_description">Clear entered text</string>