diff --git a/services/core/java/com/android/server/notification/PreferencesHelper.java b/services/core/java/com/android/server/notification/PreferencesHelper.java
index c63cdddc85608..59af58fb0dfb2 100644
--- a/services/core/java/com/android/server/notification/PreferencesHelper.java
+++ b/services/core/java/com/android/server/notification/PreferencesHelper.java
@@ -862,11 +862,11 @@ public class PreferencesHelper implements RankingConfig {
             if (r == null) {
                 throw new IllegalArgumentException("Invalid package");
             }
+            if (r.groups.size() >= NOTIFICATION_CHANNEL_GROUP_COUNT_LIMIT) {
+                throw new IllegalStateException("Limit exceed; cannot create more groups");
+            }
             if (fromTargetApp) {
                 group.setBlocked(false);
-                if (r.groups.size() >= NOTIFICATION_CHANNEL_GROUP_COUNT_LIMIT) {
-                    throw new IllegalStateException("Limit exceed; cannot create more groups");
-                }
             }
             final NotificationChannelGroup oldGroup = r.groups.get(group.getId());
             if (oldGroup != null) {
diff --git a/services/tests/uiservicestests/src/com/android/server/notification/PreferencesHelperTest.java b/services/tests/uiservicestests/src/com/android/server/notification/PreferencesHelperTest.java
index 1ecd4a1ffd7e0..79f69ee94a626 100644
--- a/services/tests/uiservicestests/src/com/android/server/notification/PreferencesHelperTest.java
+++ b/services/tests/uiservicestests/src/com/android/server/notification/PreferencesHelperTest.java
@@ -4131,17 +4131,26 @@ public class PreferencesHelperTest extends UiServiceTestCase {
     }
 
     @Test
-    public void testTooManyGroups() {
+    public void testTooManyGroups_fromTargetApp() {
+        testTooManyGroups(/* fromTargetApp= */ true);
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    public void testTooManyGroups_fromListener() {
+        testTooManyGroups(/* fromTargetApp= */ false);
+    }
+
+    private void testTooManyGroups(boolean fromTargetApp) {
         for (int i = 0; i < NOTIFICATION_CHANNEL_GROUP_COUNT_LIMIT; i++) {
             NotificationChannelGroup group = new NotificationChannelGroup(String.valueOf(i),
                     String.valueOf(i));
-            mHelper.createNotificationChannelGroup(PKG_O, UID_O, group, true);
+            mHelper.createNotificationChannelGroup(PKG_O, UID_O, group, fromTargetApp);
         }
         try {
             NotificationChannelGroup group = new NotificationChannelGroup(
                     String.valueOf(NOTIFICATION_CHANNEL_GROUP_COUNT_LIMIT),
                     String.valueOf(NOTIFICATION_CHANNEL_GROUP_COUNT_LIMIT));
-            mHelper.createNotificationChannelGroup(PKG_O, UID_O, group, true);
+            mHelper.createNotificationChannelGroup(PKG_O, UID_O, group, fromTargetApp);
             fail("Allowed to create too many notification channel groups");
         } catch (IllegalStateException e) {
             // great