diff --git a/dispatch/dispatch_test.go b/dispatch/dispatch_test.go
index 39575b36..022dfab9 100644
--- a/dispatch/dispatch_test.go
+++ b/dispatch/dispatch_test.go
@@ -374,9 +374,8 @@ route:
 
 	timeout := func(d time.Duration) time.Duration { return time.Duration(0) }
 	recorder := &recordStage{alerts: make(map[string]map[model.Fingerprint]*types.Alert)}
-	lim := limits{groups: 6}
-	m := NewDispatcherMetrics(true, prometheus.NewRegistry())
-	dispatcher := NewDispatcher(alerts, route, recorder, marker, timeout, lim, logger, m)
+	m := NewDispatcherMetrics(false, prometheus.NewRegistry())
+	dispatcher := NewDispatcher(alerts, route, recorder, marker, timeout, nil, logger, m)
 	go dispatcher.Run()
 	defer dispatcher.Stop()
 
@@ -394,10 +393,7 @@ route:
 		// Matches the second and third sub-route.
 		newAlert(model.LabelSet{"env": "prod", "alertname": "HighLatency", "cluster": "bb", "service": "db", "kafka": "yes", "instance": "inst3"}),
 	}
-	err = alerts.Put(inputAlerts...)
-	if err != nil {
-		t.Fatal(err)
-	}
+	alerts.Put(inputAlerts...)
 
 	// Let alerts get processed.
 	for i := 0; len(recorder.Alerts()) != 7 && i < 10; i++ {
@@ -474,6 +470,85 @@ route:
 		inputAlerts[4].Fingerprint(): {"prod"},
 		inputAlerts[5].Fingerprint(): {"kafka", "prod"},
 	}, receivers)
+}
+
+func TestGroupsWithLimits(t *testing.T) {
+	confData := `receivers:
+- name: 'kafka'
+- name: 'prod'
+- name: 'testing'
+
+route:
+  group_by: ['alertname']
+  group_wait: 10ms
+  group_interval: 10ms
+  receiver: 'prod'
+  routes:
+  - match:
+      env: 'testing'
+    receiver: 'testing'
+    group_by: ['alertname', 'service']
+  - match:
+      env: 'prod'
+    receiver: 'prod'
+    group_by: ['alertname', 'service', 'cluster']
+    continue: true
+  - match:
+      kafka: 'yes'
+    receiver: 'kafka'
+    group_by: ['alertname', 'service', 'cluster']`
+	conf, err := config.Load(confData)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	logger := log.NewNopLogger()
+	route := NewRoute(conf.Route, nil)
+	marker := types.NewMarker(prometheus.NewRegistry())
+	alerts, err := mem.NewAlerts(context.Background(), marker, time.Hour, logger)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	defer alerts.Close()
+
+	timeout := func(d time.Duration) time.Duration { return time.Duration(0) }
+	recorder := &recordStage{alerts: make(map[string]map[model.Fingerprint]*types.Alert)}
+	lim := limits{groups: 6}
+	m := NewDispatcherMetrics(true, prometheus.NewRegistry())
+	dispatcher := NewDispatcher(alerts, route, recorder, marker, timeout, lim, logger, m)
+	go dispatcher.Run()
+	defer dispatcher.Stop()
+
+	// Create alerts. the dispatcher will automatically create the groups.
+	inputAlerts := []*types.Alert{
+		// Matches the parent route.
+		newAlert(model.LabelSet{"alertname": "OtherAlert", "cluster": "cc", "service": "dd"}),
+		// Matches the first sub-route.
+		newAlert(model.LabelSet{"env": "testing", "alertname": "TestingAlert", "service": "api", "instance": "inst1"}),
+		// Matches the second sub-route.
+		newAlert(model.LabelSet{"env": "prod", "alertname": "HighErrorRate", "cluster": "aa", "service": "api", "instance": "inst1"}),
+		newAlert(model.LabelSet{"env": "prod", "alertname": "HighErrorRate", "cluster": "aa", "service": "api", "instance": "inst2"}),
+		// Matches the second sub-route.
+		newAlert(model.LabelSet{"env": "prod", "alertname": "HighErrorRate", "cluster": "bb", "service": "api", "instance": "inst1"}),
+		// Matches the second and third sub-route.
+		newAlert(model.LabelSet{"env": "prod", "alertname": "HighLatency", "cluster": "bb", "service": "db", "kafka": "yes", "instance": "inst3"}),
+	}
+	err = alerts.Put(inputAlerts...)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	// Let alerts get processed.
+	for i := 0; len(recorder.Alerts()) != 7 && i < 10; i++ {
+		time.Sleep(200 * time.Millisecond)
+	}
+	require.Equal(t, 7, len(recorder.Alerts()))
+
+	routeFilter := func(*Route) bool { return true }
+	alertFilter := func(*types.Alert, time.Time) bool { return true }
+
+	alertGroups, _ := dispatcher.Groups(routeFilter, alertFilter)
+	require.Len(t, alertGroups, 6)
 
 	require.Equal(t, 0.0, testutil.ToFloat64(m.aggrGroupLimitReached))
 
@@ -490,13 +565,7 @@ route:
 	require.Equal(t, 1.0, testutil.ToFloat64(m.aggrGroupLimitReached))
 
 	// Verify there are still only 6 groups.
-	alertGroups, _ = dispatcher.Groups(
-		func(*Route) bool {
-			return true
-		}, func(*types.Alert, time.Time) bool {
-			return true
-		},
-	)
+	alertGroups, _ = dispatcher.Groups(routeFilter, alertFilter)
 	require.Len(t, alertGroups, 6)
 }