diff --git a/server/channels/app/channel.go b/server/channels/app/channel.go
index 9f9417cae7..995ae2a482 100644
--- a/server/channels/app/channel.go
+++ b/server/channels/app/channel.go
@@ -534,7 +534,11 @@ func (a *App) createGroupChannel(c request.CTX, userIDs []string, creatorID stri
 		return nil, model.NewAppError("CreateGroupChannel", "api.channel.create_group.bad_size.app_error", nil, "", http.StatusBadRequest)
 	}
 
-	users, err := a.Srv().Store().User().GetProfileByIds(context.Background(), userIDs, nil, true)
+	// we skip cache and use master when fetching profiles to avoid
+	// issues in shared channels and HA, when users are created from a
+	// shared channels GM invite right before creating the GM
+	ctx := sqlstore.RequestContextWithMaster(c).Context()
+	users, err := a.Srv().Store().User().GetProfileByIds(ctx, userIDs, nil, false)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, model.NewAppError("createGroupChannel", "app.user.get_profiles.app_error", nil, "", http.StatusInternalServerError).Wrap(err)
 	}
@@ -650,7 +654,7 @@ func (a *App) createGroupChannel(c request.CTX, userIDs []string, creatorID stri
 		} else {
 			// if we could successfully share the channel, we invite
 			// the remotes involved to it
-			if sc, _ := a.getSharedChannelsService(); sc != nil {
+			if sc, _ := a.getSharedChannelsService(false); sc != nil {
 				for remoteID := range remoteIDs {
 					rc, err := a.Srv().Store().RemoteCluster().Get(remoteID, false)
 					if err != nil {
diff --git a/server/platform/services/sharedchannel/channelinvite.go b/server/platform/services/sharedchannel/channelinvite.go
index ebf1693008..f21a393316 100644
--- a/server/platform/services/sharedchannel/channelinvite.go
+++ b/server/platform/services/sharedchannel/channelinvite.go
@@ -559,7 +559,7 @@ func (scs *Service) createGroupChannel(invite channelInviteMsg, rc *model.Remote
 		return nil, false, fmt.Errorf("cannot create group channel `%s` there are no local users", invite.ChannelId)
 	}
 
-	// check if this DM already exists.
+	// check if this GM already exists.
 	channelName := model.GetGroupNameFromUserIds(invite.DirectParticipantIDs)
 	channelExists, err := scs.server.GetStore().Channel().GetByName("", channelName, true)
 	if err != nil && !isNotFoundError(err) {