diff --git a/packages/mermaid/src/diagrams/state/dataFetcher.js b/packages/mermaid/src/diagrams/state/dataFetcher.js
index e1bdb7d1f..a7f7444da 100644
--- a/packages/mermaid/src/diagrams/state/dataFetcher.js
+++ b/packages/mermaid/src/diagrams/state/dataFetcher.js
@@ -301,7 +301,12 @@ export const dataFetcher = (
 
     // If there's only 1 description entry, just use a regular state shape
     if (newNode.description?.length === 1 && newNode.shape === SHAPE_STATE_WITH_DESC) {
-      newNode.shape = SHAPE_STATE;
+      if (newNode.type === 'group') {
+        newNode.shape = SHAPE_GROUP;
+      } else {
+        newNode.shape = SHAPE_STATE;
+      }
+      //newNode.shape = SHAPE_STATE;
     }
 
     // group
diff --git a/packages/mermaid/src/diagrams/state/stateDb.js b/packages/mermaid/src/diagrams/state/stateDb.js
index 66fc85a84..af07b7974 100644
--- a/packages/mermaid/src/diagrams/state/stateDb.js
+++ b/packages/mermaid/src/diagrams/state/stateDb.js
@@ -225,6 +225,13 @@ const extract = (_doc) => {
     if (Array.isArray(node.label)) {
       // add the rest as description
       node.description = node.label.slice(1);
+      if (node.isGroup && node.description.length > 0) {
+        throw new Error(
+          'Group nodes can only have label. Remove the additional description for node [' +
+            node.id +
+            ']'
+        );
+      }
       // add first description as label
       node.label = node.label[0];
     }