diff --git a/rapids/templates/rapids/question_link_header.html b/rapids/templates/rapids/question_link_header.html
index b3d6c8f8..980a2cf1 100644
--- a/rapids/templates/rapids/question_link_header.html
+++ b/rapids/templates/rapids/question_link_header.html
@@ -6,12 +6,13 @@
     <a href="{% url 'rapids:question_delete' pk=question.pk %}" title="Delete the Rapid">Delete</a>
     <a href="{% url 'rapids:question_answer_update' pk=question.pk %}" title="Update the question answers">Edit Answers</a>
     <a href="#" onclick="return window.create_popup_window('{% url 'feedback_create' question_type='rapid' pk=question.pk %}')"> Add Note</a>
+    {% load rapids_extras %}
     {% if request.user.is_superuser %}
         <a href="{% url 'admin:rapids_rapid_change' question.id %}" title="Edit the Rapid using the admin interface">Admin Edit</a>
         <a href="{% url 'rapids:question_user_answers' question.id %}" title="View user answers associated with this question">User answers</a>
     {% endif %}
     {% comment %} Migrate to shorts (authors / rapid_checkers / superusers) {% endcomment %}
-    {% if request.user.is_superuser or request.user in question.author.all or request.user.groups.filter(name='rapid_checker').exists %}
+    {% if request.user.is_superuser or request.user in question.author.all or request.user|has_group:"rapid_checker" %}
         <a href="{% url 'rapids:question_migrate_to_shorts' pk=question.pk %}" onclick="return confirm('Migrate this Rapid to a Short question?')">Migrate to Shorts</a>
     {% endif %}
     {% if exam %}
diff --git a/rapids/templatetags/__init__.py b/rapids/templatetags/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e69de29b
diff --git a/rapids/templatetags/rapids_extras.py b/rapids/templatetags/rapids_extras.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..f980512c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/rapids/templatetags/rapids_extras.py
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+from django import template
+
+register = template.Library()
+
+@register.filter(name='has_group')
+def has_group(user, group_name):
+    if user is None:
+        return False
+    try:
+        return user.groups.filter(name=group_name).exists()
+    except Exception:
+        return False