diff --git a/zone/client_packet.cpp b/zone/client_packet.cpp
index 5e0a9d578..ba67e4ba7 100644
--- a/zone/client_packet.cpp
+++ b/zone/client_packet.cpp
@@ -6482,15 +6482,6 @@ void Client::Handle_OP_GroupFollow2(const EQApplicationPacket *app)
 			database.SetGroupID(inviter->GetName(), group->GetID(), inviter->CastToClient()->CharacterID());
 			database.SetGroupLeaderName(group->GetID(), inviter->GetName());
 
-			// Add the merc back into the new group
-			if (GetMerc())
-			{
-				if (GetMerc()->AddMercToGroup(GetMerc(), group))
-				{
-					database.SetGroupID(GetMerc()->GetName(), group->GetID(), inviter->CastToClient()->CharacterID(), true);
-				}
-			}
-
 			group->UpdateGroupAAs();
 
 			//Invite the inviter into the group first.....dont ask
@@ -6525,11 +6516,6 @@ void Client::Handle_OP_GroupFollow2(const EQApplicationPacket *app)
 		if(!group->AddMember(this))
 			return;
 
-		if(GetMerc())
-		{
-			group->AddMember(GetMerc());
-		}
-
 		if(inviter->CastToClient()->IsLFP()) {
 			// If the player who invited us to a group is LFP, have them update world now that we have joined
 			// their group.
@@ -6546,6 +6532,16 @@ void Client::Handle_OP_GroupFollow2(const EQApplicationPacket *app)
 		if(inviter->CastToClient()->GetClientVersion() >= EQClientSoD)
 			database.RefreshGroupFromDB(inviter->CastToClient());
 
+		// Add the merc back into the new group
+		if (GetMerc())
+		{
+			if (GetMerc()->AddMercToGroup(GetMerc(), group))
+			{
+					database.SetGroupID(GetMerc()->GetName(), group->GetID(), inviter->CastToClient()->CharacterID(), true);
+			}
+		}
+
+
 		//send updates to clients out of zone...
 		ServerPacket* pack = new ServerPacket(ServerOP_GroupJoin, sizeof(ServerGroupJoin_Struct));
 		ServerGroupJoin_Struct* gj = (ServerGroupJoin_Struct*)pack->pBuffer;
@@ -6661,9 +6657,9 @@ void Client::Handle_OP_GroupDisband(const EQApplicationPacket *app)
 			{
 				if(group->IsLeader(this)) // the group leader can kick other members out of the group...
 				{
-					group->DelMember(memberToDisband,false);
 					if(memberToDisband->IsClient())
 					{
+						group->DelMember(memberToDisband,false);
 						Client* memberClient = memberToDisband->CastToClient();
 						Merc* memberMerc = memberToDisband->CastToClient()->GetMerc();
 							if(memberMerc != NULL)
@@ -6672,8 +6668,22 @@ void Client::Handle_OP_GroupDisband(const EQApplicationPacket *app)
 								if(!memberMerc->IsGrouped() && !memberClient->IsGrouped())
 								{
 									Group *g = new Group(memberClient);
+
+									if(!g) 
+									{
+										delete g;
+										g = NULL;
+										return;
+									}
+
+									entity_list.AddGroup(g);
+
+									if(g->GetID() == 0)
+									{
+										safe_delete(g);
+										return;
+									}
 									if(memberMerc->AddMercToGroup(memberMerc, g)) {
-										entity_list.AddGroup(g);
 										database.SetGroupLeaderName(g->GetID(), memberClient->GetName());
 										g->SaveGroupLeaderAA();
 										database.SetGroupID(memberClient->GetName(), g->GetID(), memberClient->CharacterID());
@@ -6685,19 +6695,36 @@ void Client::Handle_OP_GroupDisband(const EQApplicationPacket *app)
 					}
 					else if(memberToDisband->IsMerc())
 					{
+						memberToDisband->CastToMerc()->RemoveMercFromGroup(memberToDisband->CastToMerc(), group);
 						memberToDisband->CastToMerc()->Suspend();
 					}
 				}
 				else
-				{   // ...but other members can only remove themselves
+				{   
+					// ...but other members can only remove themselves
 					group->DelMember(this,false);
 
 					if(!IsGrouped() && GetMerc() != NULL)
 					{
 						if(!IsGrouped()) {
-						Group *g = new Group(this);
+							Group *g = new Group(this);
+
+							if(!g) 
+							{
+								delete g;
+								g = NULL;
+								return;
+							}
+
+							entity_list.AddGroup(g);
+
+							if(g->GetID() == 0)
+							{
+								safe_delete(g);
+								return;
+							}
+
 							if(GetMerc()->AddMercToGroup(GetMerc(), g)) {
-								entity_list.AddGroup(g);
 								database.SetGroupLeaderName(g->GetID(), this->GetName());
 								g->SaveGroupLeaderAA();
 								database.SetGroupID(this->GetName(), g->GetID(), this->CharacterID());
@@ -13771,9 +13798,6 @@ void Client::Handle_OP_MercenaryDismiss(const EQApplicationPacket *app)
 		if(merc)
 			merc->Dismiss();
 	}
-
-	SendMercMerchantResponsePacket(10);
-
 }
 
 void Client::Handle_OP_MercenaryTimerRequest(const EQApplicationPacket *app)
diff --git a/zone/groups.cpp b/zone/groups.cpp
index 8457e5ad0..bcb100147 100644
--- a/zone/groups.cpp
+++ b/zone/groups.cpp
@@ -214,6 +214,9 @@ bool Group::AddMember(Mob* newmember, const char *NewMemberName, uint32 Characte
         if(!newmember && !NewMemberName)
                 return false;
 
+		if(GroupCount() >= MAX_GROUP_MEMBERS) //Sanity check for merging groups together.
+			return false;
+
         if(!newmember)
                 InZone = false;
         else