diff --git a/src/controllers/globalmods.js b/src/controllers/globalmods.js
index ed564c9093..6608cc15ad 100644
--- a/src/controllers/globalmods.js
+++ b/src/controllers/globalmods.js
@@ -1,38 +1,24 @@
 'use strict';
 
-var async = require('async');
+const user = require('../user');
+const adminBlacklistController = require('./admin/blacklist');
+const usersController = require('./admin/users');
 
-var user = require('../user');
-var adminBlacklistController = require('./admin/blacklist');
-var usersController = require('./admin/users');
+const globalModsController = module.exports;
 
-var globalModsController = module.exports;
-
-globalModsController.ipBlacklist = function (req, res, next) {
-	async.waterfall([
-		function (next) {
-			user.isAdminOrGlobalMod(req.uid, next);
-		},
-		function (isAdminOrGlobalMod, next) {
-			if (!isAdminOrGlobalMod) {
-				return next();
-			}
-			adminBlacklistController.get(req, res, next);
-		},
-	], next);
+globalModsController.ipBlacklist = async function (req, res, next) {
+	const isAdminOrGlobalMod = await user.isAdminOrGlobalMod(req.uid);
+	if (!isAdminOrGlobalMod) {
+		return next();
+	}
+	await adminBlacklistController.get(req, res);
 };
 
 
-globalModsController.registrationQueue = function (req, res, next) {
-	async.waterfall([
-		function (next) {
-			user.isAdminOrGlobalMod(req.uid, next);
-		},
-		function (isAdminOrGlobalMod, next) {
-			if (!isAdminOrGlobalMod) {
-				return next();
-			}
-			usersController.registrationQueue(req, res, next);
-		},
-	], next);
+globalModsController.registrationQueue = async function (req, res, next) {
+	const isAdminOrGlobalMod = await user.isAdminOrGlobalMod(req.uid);
+	if (!isAdminOrGlobalMod) {
+		return next();
+	}
+	await usersController.registrationQueue(req, res);
 };
diff --git a/src/controllers/groups.js b/src/controllers/groups.js
index 7b5f9a6839..25aa504210 100644
--- a/src/controllers/groups.js
+++ b/src/controllers/groups.js
@@ -1,193 +1,142 @@
 'use strict';
 
-var async = require('async');
-var validator = require('validator');
+const validator = require('validator');
 
-var meta = require('../meta');
-var groups = require('../groups');
-var user = require('../user');
-var helpers = require('./helpers');
-var pagination = require('../pagination');
-var privileges = require('../privileges');
+const meta = require('../meta');
+const groups = require('../groups');
+const user = require('../user');
+const helpers = require('./helpers');
+const pagination = require('../pagination');
+const privileges = require('../privileges');
 
-var groupsController = module.exports;
+const groupsController = module.exports;
 
-groupsController.list = function (req, res, next) {
-	var sort = req.query.sort || 'alpha';
+groupsController.list = async function (req, res) {
+	const sort = req.query.sort || 'alpha';
 
-	groupsController.getGroupsFromSet(req.uid, sort, 0, 14, function (err, data) {
-		if (err) {
-			return next(err);
-		}
-		data.title = '[[pages:groups]]';
-		data.breadcrumbs = helpers.buildBreadcrumbs([{ text: '[[pages:groups]]' }]);
-		res.render('groups/list', data);
-	});
+	const data = await groupsController.getGroupsFromSet(req.uid, sort, 0, 14);
+	data.title = '[[pages:groups]]';
+	data.breadcrumbs = helpers.buildBreadcrumbs([{ text: '[[pages:groups]]' }]);
+	res.render('groups/list', data);
 };
 
-groupsController.getGroupsFromSet = function (uid, sort, start, stop, callback) {
-	var set = 'groups:visible:name';
+groupsController.getGroupsFromSet = async function (uid, sort, start, stop) {
+	let set = 'groups:visible:name';
 	if (sort === 'count') {
 		set = 'groups:visible:memberCount';
 	} else if (sort === 'date') {
 		set = 'groups:visible:createtime';
 	}
-
-	async.waterfall([
-		function (next) {
-			async.parallel({
-				groupsData: async.apply(groups.getGroupsFromSet, set, uid, start, stop),
-				allowGroupCreation: async.apply(privileges.global.can, 'group:create', uid),
-			}, next);
-		},
-		function (results, next) {
-			next(null, {
-				groups: results.groupsData,
-				allowGroupCreation: results.allowGroupCreation,
-				nextStart: stop + 1,
-			});
-		},
-	], callback);
+	const [groupsData, allowGroupCreation] = await Promise.all([
+		groups.getGroupsFromSet(set, uid, start, stop),
+		privileges.global.can('group:create', uid),
+	]);
+	return {
+		groups: groupsData,
+		allowGroupCreation: allowGroupCreation,
+		nextStart: stop + 1,
+	};
 };
 
-groupsController.details = function (req, res, callback) {
-	var groupName;
-	async.waterfall([
-		function (next) {
-			groups.getGroupNameByGroupSlug(req.params.slug, next);
-		},
-		function (_groupName, next) {
-			groupName = _groupName;
-			if (!groupName) {
-				return callback();
-			}
-			async.parallel({
-				exists: async.apply(groups.exists, groupName),
-				hidden: async.apply(groups.isHidden, groupName),
-			}, next);
-		},
-		function (results, next) {
-			if (!results.exists) {
-				return callback();
-			}
-			if (!results.hidden) {
-				return next();
-			}
-			async.parallel({
-				isMember: async.apply(groups.isMember, req.uid, groupName),
-				isInvited: async.apply(groups.isInvited, req.uid, groupName),
-			}, function (err, checks) {
-				if (err || checks.isMember || checks.isInvited) {
-					return next(err);
-				}
-				callback();
-			});
-		},
-		function (next) {
-			async.parallel({
-				group: function (next) {
-					groups.get(groupName, {
-						uid: req.uid,
-						truncateUserList: true,
-						userListCount: 20,
-					}, next);
-				},
-				posts: function (next) {
-					groups.getLatestMemberPosts(groupName, 10, req.uid, next);
-				},
-				isAdmin: function (next) {
-					user.isAdministrator(req.uid, next);
-				},
-				isGlobalMod: function (next) {
-					user.isGlobalModerator(req.uid, next);
-				},
-			}, next);
-		},
-		function (results) {
-			if (!results.group) {
-				return callback();
-			}
-			results.group.isOwner = results.group.isOwner || results.isAdmin || (results.isGlobalMod && !results.group.system);
-			results.title = '[[pages:group, ' + results.group.displayName + ']]';
-			results.breadcrumbs = helpers.buildBreadcrumbs([{ text: '[[pages:groups]]', url: '/groups' }, { text: results.group.displayName }]);
-			results.allowPrivateGroups = meta.config.allowPrivateGroups;
-
-			res.render('groups/details', results);
-		},
-	], callback);
-};
-
-groupsController.members = function (req, res, callback) {
-	var page = parseInt(req.query.page, 10) || 1;
-	var usersPerPage = 50;
-	var start = Math.max(0, (page - 1) * usersPerPage);
-	var stop = start + usersPerPage - 1;
-	var groupName;
-	var groupData;
-	async.waterfall([
-		function (next) {
-			groups.getGroupNameByGroupSlug(req.params.slug, next);
-		},
-		function (_groupName, next) {
-			if (!_groupName) {
-				return callback();
-			}
-			groupName = _groupName;
-			async.parallel({
-				isAdminOrGlobalMod: async.apply(user.isAdminOrGlobalMod, req.uid),
-				isMember: async.apply(groups.isMember, req.uid, groupName),
-				isHidden: async.apply(groups.isHidden, groupName),
-				groupData: async.apply(groups.getGroupData, groupName),
-			}, next);
-		},
-		function (results, next) {
-			if (results.isHidden && !results.isMember && !results.isAdminOrGlobalMod) {
-				return callback();
-			}
-			groupData = results.groupData;
-
-			user.getUsersFromSet('group:' + groupName + ':members', req.uid, start, stop, next);
-		},
-		function (users) {
-			var breadcrumbs = helpers.buildBreadcrumbs([
-				{ text: '[[pages:groups]]', url: '/groups' },
-				{ text: validator.escape(String(groupName)), url: '/groups/' + req.params.slug },
-				{ text: '[[groups:details.members]]' },
-			]);
-
-			var pageCount = Math.max(1, Math.ceil(groupData.memberCount / usersPerPage));
-			res.render('groups/members', {
-				users: users,
-				pagination: pagination.create(page, pageCount, req.query),
-				breadcrumbs: breadcrumbs,
-			});
-		},
-	], callback);
-};
-
-groupsController.uploadCover = function (req, res, next) {
-	var params = JSON.parse(req.body.params);
-
-	async.waterfall([
-		function (next) {
-			groups.ownership.isOwner(req.uid, params.groupName, next);
-		},
-		function (isOwner, next) {
-			if (!isOwner) {
-				return next(new Error('[[error:no-privileges]]'));
-			}
-
-			groups.updateCover(req.uid, {
-				file: req.files.files[0].path,
-				groupName: params.groupName,
-			}, next);
-		},
-	], function (err, image) {
-		if (err) {
-			return next(err);
+groupsController.details = async function (req, res, next) {
+	const groupName = await groups.getGroupNameByGroupSlug(req.params.slug);
+	if (!groupName) {
+		return next();
+	}
+	const [exists, isHidden] = await Promise.all([
+		groups.exists(groupName),
+		groups.isHidden(groupName),
+	]);
+	if (!exists) {
+		return next();
+	}
+	if (isHidden) {
+		const [isMember, isInvited] = await Promise.all([
+			groups.isMember(req.uid, groupName),
+			groups.isInvited(req.uid, groupName),
+		]);
+		if (!isMember && !isInvited) {
+			return next();
 		}
-		res.json([{ url: image.url }]);
+	}
+	const [groupData, posts, isAdmin, isGlobalMod] = await Promise.all([
+		groups.get(groupName, {
+			uid: req.uid,
+			truncateUserList: true,
+			userListCount: 20,
+		}),
+		groups.getLatestMemberPosts(groupName, 10, req.uid),
+		user.isAdministrator(req.uid),
+		user.isGlobalModerator(req.uid),
+	]);
+	if (!groupData) {
+		return next();
+	}
+	groupData.isOwner = groupData.isOwner || isAdmin || (isGlobalMod && !groupData.system);
+	const results = {
+		title: '[[pages:group, ' + groupData.displayName + ']]',
+		group: groupData,
+		posts: posts,
+		isAdmin: isAdmin,
+		isGlobalMod: isGlobalMod,
+		allowPrivateGroups: meta.config.allowPrivateGroups,
+		breadcrumbs: helpers.buildBreadcrumbs([{ text: '[[pages:groups]]', url: '/groups' }, { text: groupData.displayName }]),
+	};
+
+	res.render('groups/details', results);
+};
+
+groupsController.members = async function (req, res, next) {
+	const page = parseInt(req.query.page, 10) || 1;
+	const usersPerPage = 50;
+	const start = Math.max(0, (page - 1) * usersPerPage);
+	const stop = start + usersPerPage - 1;
+	const groupName = await groups.getGroupNameByGroupSlug(req.params.slug);
+	if (!groupName) {
+		return next();
+	}
+	const [groupData, isAdminOrGlobalMod, isMember, isHidden] = await Promise.all([
+		groups.getGroupData(groupName),
+		user.isAdminOrGlobalMod(req.uid),
+		groups.isMember(req.uid, groupName),
+		groups.isHidden(groupName),
+	]);
+
+	if (isHidden && !isMember && !isAdminOrGlobalMod) {
+		return next();
+	}
+	const users = await user.getUsersFromSet('group:' + groupName + ':members', req.uid, start, stop);
+
+	const breadcrumbs = helpers.buildBreadcrumbs([
+		{ text: '[[pages:groups]]', url: '/groups' },
+		{ text: validator.escape(String(groupName)), url: '/groups/' + req.params.slug },
+		{ text: '[[groups:details.members]]' },
+	]);
+
+	const pageCount = Math.max(1, Math.ceil(groupData.memberCount / usersPerPage));
+	res.render('groups/members', {
+		users: users,
+		pagination: pagination.create(page, pageCount, req.query),
+		breadcrumbs: breadcrumbs,
 	});
 };
 
-require('../promisify')(groupsController);
+groupsController.uploadCover = async function (req, res, next) {
+	var params = JSON.parse(req.body.params);
+
+	try {
+		const isOwner = await groups.ownership.isOwner(req.uid, params.groupName);
+		if (!isOwner) {
+			throw new Error('[[error:no-privileges]]');
+		}
+		const image = await groups.updateCover(req.uid, {
+			file: req.files.files[0].path,
+			groupName: params.groupName,
+		});
+		res.json([{ url: image.url }]);
+	} catch (err) {
+		next(err);
+	}
+};
+
+require('../promisify')(groupsController, ['list', 'details', 'members', 'uploadCover']);