diff --git a/src/groups/cover.js b/src/groups/cover.js
index a18062f307..c4b4024486 100644
--- a/src/groups/cover.js
+++ b/src/groups/cover.js
@@ -1,80 +1,60 @@
 'use strict';
 
-var async = require('async');
-var path = require('path');
+const path = require('path');
 
-var db = require('../database');
-var image = require('../image');
-var file = require('../file');
+const db = require('../database');
+const image = require('../image');
+const file = require('../file');
 
 module.exports = function (Groups) {
-	Groups.updateCoverPosition = function (groupName, position, callback) {
+	Groups.updateCoverPosition = async function (groupName, position) {
 		if (!groupName) {
-			return callback(new Error('[[error:invalid-data]]'));
+			throw new Error('[[error:invalid-data]]');
 		}
-		Groups.setGroupField(groupName, 'cover:position', position, callback);
+		await Groups.setGroupField(groupName, 'cover:position', position);
 	};
 
-	Groups.updateCover = function (uid, data, callback) {
-		// Position only? That's fine
-		if (!data.imageData && !data.file && data.position) {
-			return Groups.updateCoverPosition(data.groupName, data.position, callback);
-		}
+	Groups.updateCover = async function (uid, data) {
+		let tempPath = data.file ? data.file : '';
+		try {
+			// Position only? That's fine
+			if (!data.imageData && !data.file && data.position) {
+				return await Groups.updateCoverPosition(data.groupName, data.position);
+			}
+			if (!tempPath) {
+				tempPath = await image.writeImageDataToTempFile(data.imageData);
+			}
+			const filename = 'groupCover-' + data.groupName + path.extname(tempPath);
+			const uploadData = await image.uploadImage(filename, 'files', {
+				path: tempPath,
+				uid: uid,
+				name: 'groupCover',
+			});
+			const url = uploadData.url;
+			await Groups.setGroupField(data.groupName, 'cover:url', url);
 
-		var tempPath = data.file ? data.file : '';
-		var url;
+			await image.resizeImage({
+				path: tempPath,
+				width: 358,
+			});
+			const thumbUploadData = await image.uploadImage('groupCoverThumb-' + data.groupName + path.extname(tempPath), 'files', {
+				path: tempPath,
+				uid: uid,
+				name: 'groupCover',
+			});
+			await Groups.setGroupField(data.groupName, 'cover:thumb:url', thumbUploadData.url);
 
-		async.waterfall([
-			function (next) {
-				if (tempPath) {
-					return next(null, tempPath);
-				}
-				image.writeImageDataToTempFile(data.imageData, next);
-			},
-			function (_tempPath, next) {
-				tempPath = _tempPath;
+			if (data.position) {
+				await Groups.updateCoverPosition(data.groupName, data.position);
+			}
 
-				const filename = 'groupCover-' + data.groupName + path.extname(tempPath);
-				image.uploadImage(filename, 'files', {
-					path: tempPath,
-					uid: uid,
-					name: 'groupCover',
-				}, next);
-			},
-			function (uploadData, next) {
-				url = uploadData.url;
-				Groups.setGroupField(data.groupName, 'cover:url', url, next);
-			},
-			function (next) {
-				image.resizeImage({
-					path: tempPath,
-					width: 358,
-				}, next);
-			},
-			function (next) {
-				image.uploadImage('groupCoverThumb-' + data.groupName + path.extname(tempPath), 'files', {
-					path: tempPath,
-					uid: uid,
-					name: 'groupCover',
-				}, next);
-			},
-			function (uploadData, next) {
-				Groups.setGroupField(data.groupName, 'cover:thumb:url', uploadData.url, next);
-			},
-			function (next) {
-				if (data.position) {
-					Groups.updateCoverPosition(data.groupName, data.position, next);
-				} else {
-					next(null);
-				}
-			},
-		], function (err) {
+			return { url: url };
+		} finally {
 			file.delete(tempPath);
-			callback(err, { url: url });
-		});
+		}
 	};
 
-	Groups.removeCover = function (data, callback) {
-		db.deleteObjectFields('group:' + data.groupName, ['cover:url', 'cover:thumb:url', 'cover:position'], callback);
+	Groups.removeCover = async function (data) {
+		await db.deleteObjectFields('group:' + data.groupName, ['cover:url', 'cover:thumb:url', 'cover:position']);
 	};
 };
diff --git a/src/groups/create.js b/src/groups/create.js
index a5b60e68b5..8b8625cf9b 100644
--- a/src/groups/create.js
+++ b/src/groups/create.js
@@ -1,79 +1,67 @@
 'use strict';
 
-var async = require('async');
-var meta = require('../meta');
-var plugins = require('../plugins');
-var utils = require('../utils');
-var db = require('../database');
+const meta = require('../meta');
+const plugins = require('../plugins');
+const utils = require('../utils');
+const db = require('../database');
 
 module.exports = function (Groups) {
-	Groups.create = function (data, callback) {
-		var isSystem = isSystemGroup(data);
-		var groupData;
-		var timestamp = data.timestamp || Date.now();
-		var disableJoinRequests = parseInt(data.disableJoinRequests, 10) === 1 ? 1 : 0;
+	Groups.create = async function (data) {
+		const isSystem = isSystemGroup(data);
+		const timestamp = data.timestamp || Date.now();
+		let disableJoinRequests = parseInt(data.disableJoinRequests, 10) === 1 ? 1 : 0;
 		if (data.name === 'administrators') {
 			disableJoinRequests = 1;
 		}
-		var isHidden = parseInt(data.hidden, 10) === 1;
-		async.waterfall([
-			function (next) {
-				validateGroupName(data.name, next);
-			},
-			function (next) {
-				meta.userOrGroupExists(data.name, next);
-			},
-			function (exists, next) {
-				if (exists) {
-					return next(new Error('[[error:group-already-exists]]'));
-				}
+		const isHidden = parseInt(data.hidden, 10) === 1;
 
-				var memberCount = data.hasOwnProperty('ownerUid') ? 1 : 0;
-				var isPrivate = data.hasOwnProperty('private') ? parseInt(data.private, 10) : 1;
-				var slug = utils.slugify(data.name);
-				groupData = {
-					name: data.name,
-					slug: slug,
-					createtime: timestamp,
-					userTitle: data.userTitle || data.name,
-					userTitleEnabled: parseInt(data.userTitleEnabled, 10) === 1 ? 1 : 0,
-					description: data.description || '',
-					memberCount: memberCount,
-					hidden: isHidden ? 1 : 0,
-					system: isSystem ? 1 : 0,
-					private: isPrivate,
-					disableJoinRequests: disableJoinRequests,
-				};
-				plugins.fireHook('filter:group.create', { group: groupData, data: data }, next);
-			},
-			function (results, next) {
-				var tasks = [
-					async.apply(db.sortedSetAdd, 'groups:createtime', groupData.createtime, groupData.name),
-					async.apply(db.setObject, 'group:' + groupData.name, groupData),
-				];
+		validateGroupName(data.name);
 
-				if (data.hasOwnProperty('ownerUid')) {
-					tasks.push(async.apply(db.setAdd, 'group:' + groupData.name + ':owners', data.ownerUid));
-					tasks.push(async.apply(db.sortedSetAdd, 'group:' + groupData.name + ':members', timestamp, data.ownerUid));
+		const exists = await meta.userOrGroupExists(data.name);
+		if (exists) {
+			throw new Error('[[error:group-already-exists]]');
+		}
 
-					groupData.ownerUid = data.ownerUid;
-				}
+		const memberCount = data.hasOwnProperty('ownerUid') ? 1 : 0;
+		const isPrivate = data.hasOwnProperty('private') ? parseInt(data.private, 10) : 1;
+		const groupData = {
+			name: data.name,
+			slug: utils.slugify(data.name),
+			createtime: timestamp,
+			userTitle: data.userTitle || data.name,
+			userTitleEnabled: parseInt(data.userTitleEnabled, 10) === 1 ? 1 : 0,
+			description: data.description || '',
+			memberCount: memberCount,
+			hidden: isHidden ? 1 : 0,
+			system: isSystem ? 1 : 0,
+			private: isPrivate,
+			disableJoinRequests: disableJoinRequests,
+		};
 
-				if (!isHidden && !isSystem) {
-					tasks.push(async.apply(db.sortedSetAdd, 'groups:visible:createtime', timestamp, groupData.name));
-					tasks.push(async.apply(db.sortedSetAdd, 'groups:visible:memberCount', groupData.memberCount, groupData.name));
-					tasks.push(async.apply(db.sortedSetAdd, 'groups:visible:name', 0, groupData.name.toLowerCase() + ':' + groupData.name));
-				}
+		plugins.fireHook('filter:group.create', { group: groupData, data: data });
 
-				tasks.push(async.apply(db.setObjectField, 'groupslug:groupname', groupData.slug, groupData.name));
+		await db.sortedSetAdd('groups:createtime', groupData.createtime, groupData.name);
+		await db.setObject('group:' + groupData.name, groupData);
 
-				async.series(tasks, next);
-			},
-			function (results, next) {
-				plugins.fireHook('action:group.create', { group: groupData });
-				next(null, groupData);
-			},
-		], callback);
+		if (data.hasOwnProperty('ownerUid')) {
+			await db.setAdd('group:' + groupData.name + ':owners', data.ownerUid);
+			await db.sortedSetAdd('group:' + groupData.name + ':members', timestamp, data.ownerUid);
+
+			groupData.ownerUid = data.ownerUid;
+		}
+
+		if (!isHidden && !isSystem) {
+			await db.sortedSetAddBulk([
+				['groups:visible:createtime', timestamp, groupData.name],
+				['groups:visible:memberCount', groupData.memberCount, groupData.name],
+				['groups:visible:name', 0, groupData.name.toLowerCase() + ':' + groupData.name],
+			]);
+		}
+
+		await db.setObjectField('groupslug:groupname', groupData.slug, groupData.name);
+
+		plugins.fireHook('action:group.create', { group: groupData });
+		return groupData;
 	};
 
 	function isSystemGroup(data) {
@@ -82,23 +70,21 @@ module.exports = function (Groups) {
 			Groups.isPrivilegeGroup(data.name);
 	}
 
-	function validateGroupName(name, callback) {
+	function validateGroupName(name) {
 		if (!name) {
-			return callback(new Error('[[error:group-name-too-short]]'));
+			throw new Error('[[error:group-name-too-short]]');
 		}
 
 		if (!Groups.isPrivilegeGroup(name) && name.length > meta.config.maximumGroupNameLength) {
-			return callback(new Error('[[error:group-name-too-long]]'));
+			throw new Error('[[error:group-name-too-long]]');
 		}
 
 		if (name === 'guests' || (!Groups.isPrivilegeGroup(name) && name.includes(':'))) {
-			return callback(new Error('[[error:invalid-group-name]]'));
+			throw new Error('[[error:invalid-group-name]]');
 		}
 
 		if (name.includes('/') || !utils.slugify(name)) {
-			return callback(new Error('[[error:invalid-group-name]]'));
+			throw new Error('[[error:invalid-group-name]]');
 		}
-
-		callback();
 	}
 };
diff --git a/src/groups/data.js b/src/groups/data.js
index 7d85624f34..c50d3b263b 100644
--- a/src/groups/data.js
+++ b/src/groups/data.js
@@ -1,12 +1,11 @@
 'use strict';
 
-var async = require('async');
-var validator = require('validator');
-var nconf = require('nconf');
+const validator = require('validator');
+const nconf = require('nconf');
 
-var db = require('../database');
-var plugins = require('../plugins');
-var utils = require('../utils');
+const db = require('../database');
+const plugins = require('../plugins');
+const utils = require('../utils');
 
 const intFields = [
 	'createtime', 'memberCount', 'hidden', 'system', 'private',
@@ -14,70 +13,54 @@ const intFields = [
 ];
 
 module.exports = function (Groups) {
-	Groups.getGroupsFields = function (groupNames, fields, callback) {
+	Groups.getGroupsFields = async function (groupNames, fields) {
 		if (!Array.isArray(groupNames) || !groupNames.length) {
-			return callback(null, []);
+			return [];
 		}
 
-		var ephemeralIdx = groupNames.reduce(function (memo, cur, idx) {
+		const ephemeralIdx = groupNames.reduce(function (memo, cur, idx) {
 			if (Groups.ephemeralGroups.includes(cur)) {
 				memo.push(idx);
 			}
 			return memo;
 		}, []);
 
-		async.waterfall([
-			function (next) {
-				const keys = groupNames.map(groupName => 'group:' + groupName);
-				if (fields.length) {
-					db.getObjectsFields(keys, fields, next);
-				} else {
-					db.getObjects(keys, next);
-				}
-			},
-			function (groupData, next) {
-				if (ephemeralIdx.length) {
-					ephemeralIdx.forEach(function (idx) {
-						groupData[idx] = Groups.getEphemeralGroup(groupNames[idx]);
-					});
-				}
+		let groupData;
+		const keys = groupNames.map(groupName => 'group:' + groupName);
+		if (fields.length) {
+			groupData = await db.getObjectsFields(keys, fields);
+		} else {
+			groupData = await db.getObjects(keys);
+		}
+		if (ephemeralIdx.length) {
+			ephemeralIdx.forEach(function (idx) {
+				groupData[idx] = Groups.getEphemeralGroup(groupNames[idx]);
+			});
+		}
 
-				groupData.forEach(group => modifyGroup(group, fields));
+		groupData.forEach(group => modifyGroup(group, fields));
 
-				plugins.fireHook('filter:groups.get', { groups: groupData }, next);
-			},
-			function (results, next) {
-				next(null, results.groups);
-			},
-		], callback);
+		const results = await plugins.fireHook('filter:groups.get', { groups: groupData });
+		return results.groups;
 	};
 
-	Groups.getGroupsData = function (groupNames, callback) {
-		Groups.getGroupsFields(groupNames, [], callback);
+	Groups.getGroupsData = async function (groupNames) {
+		return await Groups.getGroupsFields(groupNames, []);
 	};
 
-	Groups.getGroupData = function (groupName, callback) {
-		Groups.getGroupsData([groupName], function (err, groupsData) {
-			callback(err, Array.isArray(groupsData) && groupsData[0] ? groupsData[0] : null);
-		});
+	Groups.getGroupData = async function (groupName) {
+		const groupsData = await Groups.getGroupsData([groupName]);
+		return Array.isArray(groupsData) && groupsData[0] ? groupsData[0] : null;
 	};
 
-	Groups.getGroupFields = function (groupName, fields, callback) {
-		Groups.getGroupsFields([groupName], fields, function (err, groups) {
-			callback(err, groups ? groups[0] : null);
-		});
+	Groups.getGroupFields = async function (groupName, fields) {
+		const groups = await Groups.getGroupsFields([groupName], fields);
+		return groups ? groups[0] : null;
 	};
 
-	Groups.setGroupField = function (groupName, field, value, callback) {
-		async.waterfall([
-			function (next) {
-				db.setObjectField('group:' + groupName, field, value, next);
-			},
-			function (next) {
-				plugins.fireHook('action:group.set', { field: field, value: value, type: 'set' });
-				next();
-			},
-		], callback);
+	Groups.setGroupField = async function (groupName, field, value) {
+		await db.setObjectField('group:' + groupName, field, value);
+		plugins.fireHook('action:group.set', { field: field, value: value, type: 'set' });
 	};
 };