diff --git a/xmtp_mls/src/groups/mod.rs b/xmtp_mls/src/groups/mod.rs
index a6b8734d7..2bce885dc 100644
--- a/xmtp_mls/src/groups/mod.rs
+++ b/xmtp_mls/src/groups/mod.rs
@@ -8,11 +8,12 @@ pub mod validated_commit;
 
 use intents::SendMessageIntentData;
 use openmls::{
+    credentials::BasicCredential,
     extensions::{Extension, Extensions, Metadata},
     group::{MlsGroupCreateConfig, MlsGroupJoinConfig},
     prelude::{
-        CredentialWithKey, CryptoConfig, Error as TlsCodecError, GroupId, MlsGroup as OpenMlsGroup,
-        StagedWelcome, Welcome as MlsWelcome, WireFormatPolicy,
+        BasicCredentialError, CredentialWithKey, CryptoConfig, Error as TlsCodecError, GroupId, 
+        MlsGroup as OpenMlsGroup, StagedWelcome, Welcome as MlsWelcome, WireFormatPolicy,
     },
 };
 use openmls_traits::OpenMlsProvider;
@@ -118,6 +119,8 @@ pub enum GroupError {
     Identity(#[from] IdentityError),
     #[error("serialization error: {0}")]
     EncodeError(#[from] prost::EncodeError),
+    #[error("Credential error")]
+    CredentialError(#[from] BasicCredentialError),
 }
 
 impl RetryableError for GroupError {
@@ -139,6 +142,7 @@ impl RetryableError for GroupError {
 pub struct MlsGroup<'c, ApiClient> {
     pub group_id: Vec<u8>,
     pub created_at_ns: i64,
+    pub host_id: Option<Vec<u8>>,
     client: &'c Client<ApiClient>,
 }
 
@@ -148,6 +152,7 @@ impl<'c, ApiClient> Clone for MlsGroup<'c, ApiClient> {
             client: self.client,
             group_id: self.group_id.clone(),
             created_at_ns: self.created_at_ns,
+            host_id: self.host_id.clone(),
         }
     }
 }
@@ -162,6 +167,17 @@ where
             client,
             group_id,
             created_at_ns,
+            host_id: None,
+        }
+    }
+
+    // Creates a new group instance with the Welcome host_id. Does not validate that the group exists in the DB
+    pub fn new_with_host_id(client: &'c Client<ApiClient>, group_id: Vec<u8>, created_at_ns: i64, host_id: Option<Vec<u8>>) -> Self {
+        Self {
+            client,
+            group_id,
+            created_at_ns,
+            host_id,
         }
     }
 
@@ -214,6 +230,7 @@ where
         client: &'c Client<ApiClient>,
         provider: &XmtpOpenMlsProvider,
         welcome: MlsWelcome,
+        host_id: Option<Vec<u8>>,
     ) -> Result<Self, GroupError> {
         let mls_welcome =
             StagedWelcome::new_from_welcome(provider, &build_group_join_config(), welcome, None)?;
@@ -225,10 +242,11 @@ where
         let to_store = StoredGroup::new(group_id, now_ns(), GroupMembershipState::Pending);
         let stored_group = provider.conn().insert_or_ignore_group(to_store)?;
 
-        Ok(Self::new(
+        Ok(Self::new_with_host_id(
             client,
             stored_group.id,
             stored_group.created_at_ns,
+            host_id,
         ))
     }
 
@@ -259,9 +277,10 @@ where
             .welcome_sender()
             .expect("couldn't determine the sender of welcome");
 
-        println!("{:?}", welcome_sender.credential());
+        let host_credential = BasicCredential::try_from(welcome_sender.credential())?;
+        let host_id = host_credential.identity().to_vec();
 
-        Self::create_from_welcome(client, provider, welcome)
+        Self::create_from_welcome(client, provider, welcome, Some(host_id))
     }
 
     fn add_idempotency_key(encoded_msg: &[u8], idempotency_key: &str) -> PlaintextEnvelope {
@@ -506,7 +525,10 @@ fn build_group_join_config() -> MlsGroupJoinConfig {
 
 #[cfg(test)]
 mod tests {
-    use openmls::prelude::Member;
+    use openmls::{
+        credentials::BasicCredential, 
+        prelude::{Credential, Member}
+    };
     use prost::Message;
     use xmtp_api_grpc::grpc_api_helper::Client as GrpcClient;
     use xmtp_cryptography::utils::generate_local_wallet;
@@ -982,6 +1004,7 @@ mod tests {
 
     #[tokio::test]
     async fn test_staged_welcome() {
+        // Create Clients
         let amal = ClientBuilder::new_test_client(&generate_local_wallet()).await;
         let bola = ClientBuilder::new_test_client(&generate_local_wallet()).await;
 
@@ -993,7 +1016,21 @@ mod tests {
             .unwrap();
 
         // Get bola's version of the same group
-        let bola_groups = bola.sync_welcomes().await.unwrap();
+        let bola_groups = bola
+                .sync_welcomes()
+                .await
+                .unwrap();
         let bola_group = bola_groups.first().unwrap();
+
+        // Check Bola's group for the welcome host_id
+        let host_id: Vec<u8> = bola_group.host_id.clone().unwrap();
+        let host_basic_credential = BasicCredential::new(host_id).unwrap();
+        let host_credential = Credential::from(host_basic_credential);
+
+        // Verify the welcome host_credential is equal to Amal's
+        assert_eq!(amal.identity
+            .credential()
+            .unwrap(), 
+            host_credential);
     }
 }