diff --git a/nixos/modules/config/users-groups.nix b/nixos/modules/config/users-groups.nix
index 42d5d233f1c..621ca36fb6b 100644
--- a/nixos/modules/config/users-groups.nix
+++ b/nixos/modules/config/users-groups.nix
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ let
 
       group = mkOption {
         type = types.str;
-        apply = x: assert (builtins.stringLength x < 17 || abort "Group name '${x}' is longer than 16 characters which is not allowed!"); x;
+        apply = x: assert (builtins.stringLength x < 32 || abort "Group name '${x}' is longer than 31 characters which is not allowed!"); x;
         default = "nogroup";
         description = "The user's primary group.";
       };
diff --git a/pkgs/os-specific/linux/shadow/default.nix b/pkgs/os-specific/linux/shadow/default.nix
index ca15571d1ed..3a76450a830 100644
--- a/pkgs/os-specific/linux/shadow/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/os-specific/linux/shadow/default.nix
@@ -60,8 +60,10 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
     configureFlags="$configureFlags --with-xml-catalog=$PWD/xmlcatalog ";
   '';
 
-  configureFlags = " --enable-man "
-    + stdenv.lib.optionalString (hostPlatform.libc != "glibc") " --disable-nscd ";
+  configureFlags = [
+    "--enable-man"
+    "--with-group-name-max-length=32"
+  ] ++ stdenv.lib.optional (hostPlatform.libc != "glibc") "--disable-nscd";
 
   preBuild = stdenv.lib.optionalString (hostPlatform.libc == "glibc")
     ''