diff --git a/ModelDescriber/JMSModelDescriber.php b/ModelDescriber/JMSModelDescriber.php
index 6ce8083..c3c33c5 100644
--- a/ModelDescriber/JMSModelDescriber.php
+++ b/ModelDescriber/JMSModelDescriber.php
@@ -33,6 +33,12 @@ class JMSModelDescriber implements ModelDescriberInterface, ModelRegistryAwareIn
     private $factory;
     private $namingStrategy;
     private $doctrineReader;
+    private $previousGroups = [];
+
+    /**
+     * @var array
+     */
+    private $propertyTypeUseGroupsCache = [];
 
     public function __construct(
         MetadataFactoryInterface $factory,
@@ -70,8 +76,14 @@ class JMSModelDescriber implements ModelDescriberInterface, ModelRegistryAwareIn
 
             $name = $this->namingStrategy->translateName($item);
             $groups = $model->getGroups();
+
+            $previousGroups = null;
             if (isset($groups[$name]) && is_array($groups[$name])) {
+                $previousGroups = $groups;
                 $groups = $model->getGroups()[$name];
+            } elseif (!isset($groups[$name]) && !empty($this->previousGroups[spl_object_hash($model)])) {
+                // $groups = $this->previousGroups[spl_object_hash($model)]; use this for jms/serializer 2.0
+                $groups = false === $this->propertyTypeUsesGroups($item->type) ? null : [GroupsExclusionStrategy::DEFAULT_GROUP];
             } elseif (is_array($groups)) {
                 $groups = array_filter($groups, 'is_scalar');
             }
@@ -97,7 +109,7 @@ class JMSModelDescriber implements ModelDescriberInterface, ModelRegistryAwareIn
                 continue;
             }
 
-            $this->describeItem($item->type, $property, $groups);
+            $this->describeItem($item->type, $property, $groups, $previousGroups);
         }
     }
 
@@ -118,9 +130,11 @@ class JMSModelDescriber implements ModelDescriberInterface, ModelRegistryAwareIn
         return false;
     }
 
-    private function describeItem(array $type, Schema $property, array $groups = null)
+    private function describeItem(array $type, $property, array $groups = null, array $previousGroups = null)
     {
-        if (list($nestedType, $isHash) = $this->getNestedTypeInArray($type)) { // @ todo update a bit getNestedTypeInArray and describe ($type = $item->type)
+        $nestedTypeInfo = $this->getNestedTypeInArray($type);
+        if (null !== $nestedTypeInfo) {
+            list($nestedType, $isHash) = $nestedTypeInfo;
             if ($isHash) {
                 $property->setType('object');
                 // in the case of a virtual property, set it as free object type
@@ -131,7 +145,7 @@ class JMSModelDescriber implements ModelDescriberInterface, ModelRegistryAwareIn
                     return;
                 }
 
-                $this->describeItem($nestedType, $property->getAdditionalProperties(), $groups);
+                $this->describeItem($nestedType, $property->getAdditionalProperties(), $groups, $previousGroups);
 
                 return;
             }
@@ -160,6 +174,10 @@ class JMSModelDescriber implements ModelDescriberInterface, ModelRegistryAwareIn
             $property->setRef($this->modelRegistry->register(
                 new Model(new Type(Type::BUILTIN_TYPE_OBJECT, false, $type['name']), $groups)
             ));
+
+            if ($previousGroups) {
+                $this->previousGroups[spl_object_hash($model)] = $previousGroups;
+            }
         }
     }
 
@@ -179,4 +197,35 @@ class JMSModelDescriber implements ModelDescriberInterface, ModelRegistryAwareIn
 
         return null;
     }
+
+    /**
+     * @param array $type
+     *
+     * @return bool|null
+     */
+    private function propertyTypeUsesGroups(array $type)
+    {
+        if (!array_key_exists($type['name'], $this->propertyTypeUseGroupsCache)) {
+            return $this->propertyTypeUseGroupsCache[$type['name']];
+        }
+
+        try {
+            $metadata = $this->factory->getMetadataForClass($type['name']);
+
+            foreach ($metadata->propertyMetadata as $item) {
+                if (null !== $item->groups && $item->groups != [GroupsExclusionStrategy::DEFAULT_GROUP]) {
+                    $this->propertyTypeUseGroupsCache[$type['name']] = true;
+
+                    return true;
+                }
+            }
+            $this->propertyTypeUseGroupsCache[$type['name']] = false;
+
+            return false;
+        } catch (\ReflectionException $e) {
+            $this->propertyTypeUseGroupsCache[$type['name']] = null;
+
+            return null;
+        }
+    }
 }
diff --git a/Tests/Functional/Controller/JMSController.php b/Tests/Functional/Controller/JMSController.php
index 0e361c6..fea410a 100644
--- a/Tests/Functional/Controller/JMSController.php
+++ b/Tests/Functional/Controller/JMSController.php
@@ -15,6 +15,9 @@ use Nelmio\ApiDocBundle\Annotation\Model;
 use Nelmio\ApiDocBundle\Tests\Functional\Entity\JMSComplex;
 use Nelmio\ApiDocBundle\Tests\Functional\Entity\JMSDualComplex;
 use Nelmio\ApiDocBundle\Tests\Functional\Entity\JMSUser;
+use Nelmio\ApiDocBundle\Tests\Functional\Entity\NestedGroup\JMSChat;
+use Nelmio\ApiDocBundle\Tests\Functional\Entity\NestedGroup\JMSChatUser;
+use Nelmio\ApiDocBundle\Tests\Functional\Entity\NestedGroup\JMSPicture;
 use Nelmio\ApiDocBundle\Tests\Functional\Entity\VirtualProperty;
 use Sensio\Bundle\FrameworkExtraBundle\Configuration\Route;
 use Swagger\Annotations as SWG;
@@ -71,4 +74,40 @@ class JMSController
     public function complexDualAction()
     {
     }
+
+    /**
+     * @Route("/api/jms_chat", methods={"GET"})
+     * @SWG\Response(
+     *     response=200,
+     *     description="Success",
+     *     @Model(type=JMSChat::class, groups={"Default", "members" : {"mini"}})
+     * )
+     */
+    public function chatAction()
+    {
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * @Route("/api/jms_picture", methods={"GET"})
+     * @SWG\Response(
+     *     response=200,
+     *     description="Success",
+     *     @Model(type=JMSPicture::class, groups={"mini"})
+     * )
+     */
+    public function pictureAction()
+    {
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * @Route("/api/jms_mini_user", methods={"GET"})
+     * @SWG\Response(
+     *     response=200,
+     *     description="Success",
+     *     @Model(type=JMSChatUser::class, groups={"mini"})
+     * )
+     */
+    public function minUserAction()
+    {
+    }
 }
diff --git a/Tests/Functional/Entity/NestedGroup/JMSChat.php b/Tests/Functional/Entity/NestedGroup/JMSChat.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5373464
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Tests/Functional/Entity/NestedGroup/JMSChat.php
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+<?php
+
+/*
+ * This file is part of the NelmioApiDocBundle package.
+ *
+ * (c) Nelmio
+ *
+ * For the full copyright and license information, please view the LICENSE
+ * file that was distributed with this source code.
+ */
+
+namespace Nelmio\ApiDocBundle\Tests\Functional\Entity\NestedGroup;
+
+use JMS\Serializer\Annotation as Serializer;
+
+/**
+ * User.
+ *
+ * @Serializer\ExclusionPolicy("all")
+ */
+class JMSChat
+{
+    /**
+     * @Serializer\Type("integer")
+     * @Serializer\Expose
+     */
+    private $id;
+
+    /**
+     * @Serializer\Type("array<Nelmio\ApiDocBundle\Tests\Functional\Entity\NestedGroup\JMSChatUser>")
+     * @Serializer\Expose
+     */
+    private $members;
+}
diff --git a/Tests/Functional/Entity/NestedGroup/JMSChatUser.php b/Tests/Functional/Entity/NestedGroup/JMSChatUser.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..71ea114
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Tests/Functional/Entity/NestedGroup/JMSChatUser.php
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+<?php
+
+/*
+ * This file is part of the NelmioApiDocBundle package.
+ *
+ * (c) Nelmio
+ *
+ * For the full copyright and license information, please view the LICENSE
+ * file that was distributed with this source code.
+ */
+
+namespace Nelmio\ApiDocBundle\Tests\Functional\Entity\NestedGroup;
+
+use JMS\Serializer\Annotation as Serializer;
+
+/**
+ * User.
+ *
+ * @Serializer\ExclusionPolicy("all")
+ */
+class JMSChatUser
+{
+    /**
+     * @Serializer\Type("integer")
+     * @Serializer\Expose
+     */
+    private $id;
+
+    /**
+     * @Serializer\Type("Nelmio\ApiDocBundle\Tests\Functional\Entity\NestedGroup\JMSPicture")
+     * @Serializer\Groups({"Default", "mini"})
+     * @Serializer\Expose
+     */
+    private $picture;
+
+    /**
+     * @Serializer\Type("array<Nelmio\ApiDocBundle\Tests\Functional\Entity\NestedGroup\JMSPicture>")
+     * @Serializer\Expose
+     */
+    private $allPictures;
+}
diff --git a/Tests/Functional/Entity/NestedGroup/JMSPicture.php b/Tests/Functional/Entity/NestedGroup/JMSPicture.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..37650bb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Tests/Functional/Entity/NestedGroup/JMSPicture.php
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+<?php
+
+/*
+ * This file is part of the NelmioApiDocBundle package.
+ *
+ * (c) Nelmio
+ *
+ * For the full copyright and license information, please view the LICENSE
+ * file that was distributed with this source code.
+ */
+
+namespace Nelmio\ApiDocBundle\Tests\Functional\Entity\NestedGroup;
+
+use JMS\Serializer\Annotation as Serializer;
+
+/**
+ * User.
+ *
+ * @Serializer\ExclusionPolicy("all")
+ */
+class JMSPicture
+{
+    /**
+     * @Serializer\Type("integer")
+     * @Serializer\Expose
+     */
+    private $id;
+
+    /**
+     * @Serializer\Type("integer")
+     * @Serializer\Expose
+     * @Serializer\Groups({"mini"})
+     */
+    private $onlyDirectPictureMini;
+}
diff --git a/Tests/Functional/JMSFunctionalTest.php b/Tests/Functional/JMSFunctionalTest.php
index 91239fa..3f55371 100644
--- a/Tests/Functional/JMSFunctionalTest.php
+++ b/Tests/Functional/JMSFunctionalTest.php
@@ -13,6 +13,45 @@ namespace Nelmio\ApiDocBundle\Tests\Functional;
 
 class JMSFunctionalTest extends WebTestCase
 {
+    public function testModelPictureDocumentation()
+    {
+        $this->assertEquals([
+            'type' => 'object',
+            'properties' => [
+                'only_direct_picture_mini' => [
+                    'type' => 'integer',
+                ],
+            ],
+        ], $this->getModel('JMSPicture')->toArray());
+    }
+
+    public function testModeChatDocumentation()
+    {
+        $this->assertEquals([
+            'type' => 'object',
+            'properties' => [
+                'id' => [
+                    'type' => 'integer',
+                ],
+                'members' => [
+                    'items' => [
+                        '$ref' => '#/definitions/JMSChatUser',
+                    ],
+                    'type' => 'array',
+                ],
+            ],
+        ], $this->getModel('JMSChat')->toArray());
+
+        $this->assertEquals([
+            'type' => 'object',
+            'properties' => [
+                'picture' => [
+                    '$ref' => '#/definitions/JMSPicture',
+                ],
+            ],
+        ], $this->getModel('JMSChatUser')->toArray());
+    }
+
     public function testModelDocumentation()
     {
         $this->assertEquals([