diff --git a/lib/FederatedItems/MassiveMemberAdd.php b/lib/FederatedItems/MassiveMemberAdd.php
index 38830e45a..320872cc8 100644
--- a/lib/FederatedItems/MassiveMemberAdd.php
+++ b/lib/FederatedItems/MassiveMemberAdd.php
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@
 use OCA\Circles\IFederatedItemAsyncProcess;
 use OCA\Circles\IFederatedItemHighSeverity;
 use OCA\Circles\IFederatedItemMemberEmpty;
+use OCA\Circles\Model\Circle;
 use OCA\Circles\Model\Federated\FederatedEvent;
 use OCA\Circles\Model\Helpers\MemberHelper;
 use OCA\Circles\Model\Member;
@@ -64,8 +65,10 @@ public function verify(FederatedEvent $event): void {
 		$initiator = $circle->getInitiator();
 
 		$initiatorHelper = new MemberHelper($initiator);
-		$initiatorHelper->mustBeModerator();
-
+		if (!$circle->isConfig(Circle::CFG_FRIEND)) {
+			$initiatorHelper->mustBeModerator();
+		}
+		
 		$members = $event->getMembers();
 		$filtered = [];
 
diff --git a/lib/FederatedItems/SingleMemberAdd.php b/lib/FederatedItems/SingleMemberAdd.php
index ccfc62cc4..c3eb41ed5 100644
--- a/lib/FederatedItems/SingleMemberAdd.php
+++ b/lib/FederatedItems/SingleMemberAdd.php
@@ -173,7 +173,9 @@ public function verify(FederatedEvent $event): void {
 		$initiator = $circle->getInitiator();
 
 		$initiatorHelper = new MemberHelper($initiator);
-		$initiatorHelper->mustBeModerator();
+		if (!$circle->isConfig(Circle::CFG_FRIEND)) {
+			$initiatorHelper->mustBeModerator();
+		}
 
 		$member = $this->generateMember($event, $circle, $member);