diff --git a/addons/hr/models/mail_channel.py b/addons/hr/models/mail_channel.py
index 3d3b6e800a7..e043a941f7e 100644
--- a/addons/hr/models/mail_channel.py
+++ b/addons/hr/models/mail_channel.py
@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
 # -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
 # Part of Odoo. See LICENSE file for full copyright and licensing details.
 
-from odoo import fields, models
+from odoo import _, api, fields, models
+from odoo.exceptions import ValidationError
 
 
 class Channel(models.Model):
@@ -11,6 +12,12 @@ class Channel(models.Model):
         'hr.department', string='HR Departments',
         help='Automatically subscribe members of those departments to the channel.')
 
+    @api.constrains('subscription_department_ids')
+    def _constraint_subscription_department_ids_channel(self):
+        failing_channels = self.sudo().filtered(lambda channel: channel.channel_type != 'channel' and channel.subscription_department_ids)
+        if failing_channels:
+            raise ValidationError(_("For %(channels)s, channel_type should be 'channel' to have the department auto-subscription.", channels=', '.join([ch.name for ch in failing_channels])))
+
     def _subscribe_users_automatically_get_members(self):
         """ Auto-subscribe members of a department to a channel """
         new_members = super(Channel, self)._subscribe_users_automatically_get_members()
diff --git a/addons/hr/views/mail_channel_views.xml b/addons/hr/views/mail_channel_views.xml
index 25ad1350bc3..b8c6e5df7ea 100644
--- a/addons/hr/views/mail_channel_views.xml
+++ b/addons/hr/views/mail_channel_views.xml
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
         <field name="arch" type="xml">
             <xpath expr="//field[@name='group_ids']" position="after">
                 <field name="subscription_department_ids" widget="many2many_tags"
+                    attrs="{'invisible': [('channel_type', '!=', 'channel')]}"
                     string="Auto Subscribe Departments"/>
             </xpath>
         </field>
diff --git a/addons/mail/models/mail_channel.py b/addons/mail/models/mail_channel.py
index 9c53a7c4f56..e0ab0326e50 100644
--- a/addons/mail/models/mail_channel.py
+++ b/addons/mail/models/mail_channel.py
@@ -88,15 +88,17 @@ class Channel(models.Model):
         ('groups', 'Selected group of users')], string='Privacy',
         required=True, default='groups',
         help='This group is visible by non members. Invisible groups can add members through the invite button.')
-    group_public_id = fields.Many2one('res.groups', string='Authorized Group',
-                                      default=lambda self: self.env.ref('base.group_user'))
+    group_public_id = fields.Many2one('res.groups', string='Authorized Group', compute='_compute_group_public_id', readonly=False, store=True)
 
     _sql_constraints = [
         ('channel_type_not_null', 'CHECK(channel_type IS NOT NULL)', 'The channel type cannot be empty'),
         ('uuid_unique', 'UNIQUE(uuid)', 'The channel UUID must be unique'),
+        ('group_public_id_check',
+         "CHECK (channel_type = 'channel' OR group_public_id IS NULL)",
+         'Group authorization and group auto-subscription are only supported on channels.')
     ]
 
-    # CHAT CONSTRAINT
+    # CONSTRAINTS
 
     @api.constrains('channel_last_seen_partner_ids', 'channel_partner_ids')
     def _constraint_partners_chat(self):
@@ -104,6 +106,12 @@ class Channel(models.Model):
             if len(ch.channel_last_seen_partner_ids) > 2 or len(ch.channel_partner_ids) > 2:
                 raise ValidationError(_("A channel of type 'chat' cannot have more than two users."))
 
+    @api.constrains('group_public_id', 'group_ids')
+    def _constraint_group_id_channel(self):
+        failing_channels = self.sudo().filtered(lambda channel: channel.channel_type != 'channel' and (channel.group_public_id or channel.group_ids))
+        if failing_channels:
+            raise ValidationError(_("For %(channels)s, channel_type should be 'channel' to have the group-based authorization or group auto-subscription.", channels=', '.join([ch.name for ch in failing_channels])))
+
     # COMPUTE / INVERSE
 
     @api.depends('channel_type')
@@ -169,6 +177,12 @@ class Channel(models.Model):
         for channel in self:
             channel.member_count = member_count_by_channel_id.get(channel.id, 0)
 
+    @api.depends('channel_type')
+    def _compute_group_public_id(self):
+        channels = self.filtered(lambda channel: channel.channel_type == 'channel')
+        channels.filtered(lambda channel: not channel.group_public_id).group_public_id = self.env.ref('base.group_user')
+        (self - channels).group_public_id = None
+
     # ONCHANGE
 
     @api.onchange('public')
diff --git a/addons/mail/views/mail_channel_views.xml b/addons/mail/views/mail_channel_views.xml
index 9797c440da2..a9794d0bda7 100644
--- a/addons/mail/views/mail_channel_views.xml
+++ b/addons/mail/views/mail_channel_views.xml
@@ -73,9 +73,10 @@
                                 <group class="o_label_nowrap">
                                     <field name="public" widget="radio" string="Who can follow the group's activities?"/>
                                     <field name="group_public_id"
-                                        attrs="{'invisible': [('public','!=','groups')], 'required': [('public','=','groups')]}"
+                                        attrs="{'invisible': ['|', ('channel_type', '!=', 'channel'), ('public','!=','groups')], 'required': [('public','=','groups')]}"
                                         />
                                     <field name="group_ids" widget="many2many_tags"
+                                        attrs="{'invisible': [('channel_type', '!=', 'channel')]}"
                                         string="Auto Subscribe Groups"/>
                                 </group>
                             </page>