diff --git a/include/bar.hpp b/include/bar.hpp
index ee4a1d5e..d2cbffa0 100644
--- a/include/bar.hpp
+++ b/include/bar.hpp
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 #include <vector>
 
 #include "AModule.hpp"
+#include "group.hpp"
 #include "xdg-output-unstable-v1-client-protocol.h"
 
 namespace waybar {
@@ -101,7 +102,7 @@ class Bar {
  private:
   void onMap(GdkEventAny *);
   auto setupWidgets() -> void;
-  void getModules(const Factory &, const std::string &, Gtk::Box *);
+  void getModules(const Factory &, const std::string &, waybar::Group *);
   void setupAltFormatKeyForModule(const std::string &module_name);
   void setupAltFormatKeyForModuleList(const char *module_list_name);
   void setMode(const bar_mode &);
diff --git a/include/group.hpp b/include/group.hpp
index 60e31c96..ee9d282b 100644
--- a/include/group.hpp
+++ b/include/group.hpp
@@ -5,8 +5,6 @@
 #include <json/json.h>
 
 #include "AModule.hpp"
-#include "bar.hpp"
-#include "factory.hpp"
 
 namespace waybar {
 
@@ -16,6 +14,10 @@ class Group : public AModule {
   ~Group() = default;
   auto update() -> void override;
   operator Gtk::Widget&() override;
+
+  virtual Gtk::Box& getBox();
+
+ protected:
   Gtk::Box box;
 };
 
diff --git a/src/bar.cpp b/src/bar.cpp
index 30cf7fad..9b3a12f3 100644
--- a/src/bar.cpp
+++ b/src/bar.cpp
@@ -740,7 +740,7 @@ void waybar::Bar::handleSignal(int signal) {
 }
 
 void waybar::Bar::getModules(const Factory& factory, const std::string& pos,
-                             Gtk::Box* group = nullptr) {
+                             waybar::Group* group = nullptr) {
   auto module_list = group ? config[pos]["modules"] : config[pos];
   if (module_list.isArray()) {
     for (const auto& name : module_list) {
@@ -753,10 +753,17 @@ void waybar::Bar::getModules(const Factory& factory, const std::string& pos,
           auto id_name = ref.substr(6, hash_pos - 6);
           auto class_name = hash_pos != std::string::npos ? ref.substr(hash_pos + 1) : "";
 
-          auto parent = group ? group : &this->box_;
-          auto vertical = parent->get_orientation() == Gtk::ORIENTATION_VERTICAL;
+          // auto parent = group ? group : &this->box_;
+          // auto vertical = parent->get_orientation() == Gtk::ORIENTATION_VERTICAL;
+
+          auto vertical = (
+            group ? 
+            group->getBox().get_orientation() :
+            box_.get_orientation()
+          ) == Gtk::ORIENTATION_VERTICAL;
+
           auto group_module = new waybar::Group(id_name, class_name, config[ref], vertical);
-          getModules(factory, ref, &group_module->box);
+          getModules(factory, ref, group_module);
           module = group_module;
         } else {
           module = factory.makeModule(ref);
@@ -765,7 +772,7 @@ void waybar::Bar::getModules(const Factory& factory, const std::string& pos,
         std::shared_ptr<AModule> module_sp(module);
         modules_all_.emplace_back(module_sp);
         if (group) {
-          group->pack_start(*module, false, false);
+          group->getBox().pack_start(*module, false, false);
         } else {
           if (pos == "modules-left") {
             modules_left_.emplace_back(module_sp);
diff --git a/src/group.cpp b/src/group.cpp
index 548fb0da..54d53e7e 100644
--- a/src/group.cpp
+++ b/src/group.cpp
@@ -35,6 +35,8 @@ auto Group::update() -> void {
   // noop
 }
 
-Group::operator Gtk::Widget&() { return box; }
+Gtk::Box& Group::getBox() { return box; }
+
+Group::operator Gtk::Widget&() { return getBox(); }
 
 }  // namespace waybar