diff --git a/mod/assign/locallib.php b/mod/assign/locallib.php
index ae287f06666..af2ff926427 100644
--- a/mod/assign/locallib.php
+++ b/mod/assign/locallib.php
@@ -3064,7 +3064,7 @@ class assign {
      * Throw an error if the permissions to view this users submission are missing.
      *
      * @throws required_capability_exception
-     * @return none
+     * @return void
      */
     public function require_view_submission($userid) {
         if (!$this->can_view_submission($userid)) {
@@ -3076,7 +3076,7 @@ class assign {
      * Throw an error if the permissions to view grades in this assignment are missing.
      *
      * @throws required_capability_exception
-     * @return none
+     * @return void
      */
     public function require_view_grades() {
         if (!$this->can_view_grades()) {
@@ -3094,7 +3094,11 @@ class assign {
         if (!has_any_capability(array('mod/assign:viewgrades', 'mod/assign:grade'), $this->context)) {
             return false;
         }
-
+        // Checks for the edge case when user belongs to no groups and groupmode is sep.
+        if ($this->get_course_module()->effectivegroupmode == SEPARATEGROUPS) {
+            $groupflag = !empty(groups_get_activity_allowed_groups($this->get_course_module()));
+            return (bool)$groupflag;
+        }
         return true;
     }