diff --git a/bin/osv/orm.py b/bin/osv/orm.py
index 895626dad85..a652ad54f04 100644
--- a/bin/osv/orm.py
+++ b/bin/osv/orm.py
@@ -2276,7 +2276,10 @@ class orm(orm_template):
                 groupby = groupby[0]
             self._inherits_join_calc(groupby, query)
 
-        assert not groupby or groupby in fields, "Fields in 'groupby' must appear in the list of fields to read (perhaps it's missing in the list view?)"
+        if groupby:
+            assert not groupby or groupby in fields, "Fields in 'groupby' must appear in the list of fields to read (perhaps it's missing in the list view?)"
+            groupby_def = self._columns.get(groupby) or (self._inherit_fields.get(groupby) and self._inherit_fields.get(groupby)[2])
+            assert groupby_def and groupby_def._classic_write, "Fields in 'groupby' must be regular database-persisted fields (no function or related fields), or function fields with store=True"
 
         fget = self.fields_get(cr, uid, fields)
         float_int_fields = filter(lambda x: fget[x]['type'] in ('float', 'integer'), fields)