diff --git a/src/Simplex/Chat/Library/Commands.hs b/src/Simplex/Chat/Library/Commands.hs
index 4bbfa8e09d..d7e5ead0de 100644
--- a/src/Simplex/Chat/Library/Commands.hs
+++ b/src/Simplex/Chat/Library/Commands.hs
@@ -2643,8 +2643,7 @@ processChatCommand vr nm = \case
         Nothing -> throwChatError $ CEContactNotActive ct
   APIAcceptMember groupId gmId role -> withUser $ \user@User {userId} -> do
     (gInfo, m) <- withFastStore $ \db -> (,) <$> getGroupInfo db vr user groupId <*> getGroupMemberById db vr user gmId
-    -- TODO check that user's role is > role, possibly restrict role to only observer and member
-    assertUserGroupRole gInfo GRModerator
+    assertUserGroupRole gInfo $ max GRModerator role
     case memberStatus m of
       GSMemPendingApproval | memberCategory m == GCInviteeMember -> do -- only host can approve
         let GroupInfo {groupProfile = GroupProfile {memberAdmission}} = gInfo
diff --git a/src/Simplex/Chat/Library/Subscriber.hs b/src/Simplex/Chat/Library/Subscriber.hs
index 08ca90f2a6..1af0b07361 100644
--- a/src/Simplex/Chat/Library/Subscriber.hs
+++ b/src/Simplex/Chat/Library/Subscriber.hs
@@ -2601,6 +2601,8 @@ processAgentMessageConn vr user@User {userId} corrId agentConnId agentMessage =
 
     xGrpLinkAcpt :: GroupInfo -> GroupMember -> GroupAcceptance -> GroupMemberRole -> MemberId -> RcvMessage -> UTCTime -> CM ()
     xGrpLinkAcpt gInfo@GroupInfo {membership} m acceptance role memberId msg brokerTs
+      | memberRole' m < GRModerator || memberRole' m < role =
+          messageError "x.grp.link.acpt with insufficient member permissions"
       | sameMemberId memberId membership = processUserAccepted
       | otherwise =
           withStore' (\db -> runExceptT $ getGroupMemberByMemberId db vr user gInfo memberId) >>= \case
diff --git a/tests/ChatTests/Groups.hs b/tests/ChatTests/Groups.hs
index e0ff178db4..82906110c6 100644
--- a/tests/ChatTests/Groups.hs
+++ b/tests/ChatTests/Groups.hs
@@ -3251,6 +3251,12 @@ testGLinkReviewMember =
       alice ##> "/_delete member chat #1 5"
       alice <## "bad chat command: member is pending"
 
+      -- moderator can't accept member with a role higher than their own
+      dan ##> "/_accept member #1 5 admin"
+      dan <## "#team: you have insufficient permissions for this action, the required role is admin"
+      dan ##> "/_accept member #1 5 owner"
+      dan <## "#team: you have insufficient permissions for this action, the required role is owner"
+
       -- accept member
       dan ##> "/_accept member #1 5 member"
       concurrentlyN_