diff --git a/src/upgrades/1.19.0/navigation-enabled-hashes.js b/src/upgrades/1.19.0/navigation-enabled-hashes.js
index c45f7d078a..a8a7297332 100644
--- a/src/upgrades/1.19.0/navigation-enabled-hashes.js
+++ b/src/upgrades/1.19.0/navigation-enabled-hashes.js
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ module.exports = {
 				}
 				delete navItem.properties;
 			}
-			if (navItem.hasOwnProperty('groups') && Array.isArray(navItem.groups)) {
+			if (navItem.hasOwnProperty('groups') && (Array.isArray(navItem.groups) || typeof navItem.groups === 'string')) {
 				navItem.groups = JSON.stringify(navItem.groups);
 			}
 			bulkSet.push([`navigation:enabled:${item.score}`, navItem]);