diff --git a/core/mls/mls-tools/crates/mls/src/lib.rs b/core/mls/mls-tools/crates/mls/src/lib.rs
index 311f410b1f..85a9fbeba0 100644
--- a/core/mls/mls-tools/crates/mls/src/lib.rs
+++ b/core/mls/mls-tools/crates/mls/src/lib.rs
@@ -72,18 +72,6 @@ fn validate_group_info_message(group_info_message_bytes: Vec<u8>, expected_epoch
     ValidationResult::Valid
 }
 
-fn validate_external_group_can_process_group_info_message(mut external_group: ExternalGroup<ExternalConfig>, group_info_message_bytes: Vec<u8>) -> Result<(), ValidationResult> {
-    let group_info_message = match MlsMessage::from_bytes(&group_info_message_bytes) {
-        Ok(group_info_message) => group_info_message,
-        Err(_) => return Err(ValidationResult::InvalidGroupInfo)
-    };
-
-    match external_group.process_incoming_message(group_info_message) {
-        Ok(_) => return Ok(()),
-        Err(_) => Err(ValidationResult::InvalidGroupInfo.into())
-    }
-}
-
 pub fn validate_initial_group_info_request(request: InitialGroupInfoRequest) -> InitialGroupInfoResponse {
     let external_client = create_external_client();
     let external_group_snapshot = match ExternalSnapshot::from_bytes(&request.external_group_snapshot) {
@@ -93,14 +81,14 @@ pub fn validate_initial_group_info_request(request: InitialGroupInfoRequest) ->
         }
     };
 
-    let mut external_group = match external_client.load_group(external_group_snapshot) {
+    let external_group = match external_client.load_group(external_group_snapshot) {
         Ok(group) => group,
         Err(_) => return InitialGroupInfoResponse {
             result: ValidationResult::InvalidExternalGroup.into(),
         }
     };
 
-    match validate_group_info_message(request.group_info_message.clone(),
+    match validate_group_info_message(request.group_info_message,
                                       0, 
                                       external_group.group_context().group_id()) {
         ValidationResult::Valid => {},
@@ -136,14 +124,6 @@ pub fn validate_initial_group_info_request(request: InitialGroupInfoRequest) ->
             result: ValidationResult::InvalidPublicSignatureKey.into(),
         };
     }
-    
-    match validate_external_group_can_process_group_info_message(external_group, request.group_info_message) {
-        Ok(_) => {},
-        Err(result) => return InitialGroupInfoResponse {
-            result: result.into(),
-        }
-    }
-
     return InitialGroupInfoResponse {
         result: ValidationResult::Valid.into(),
     };
@@ -182,7 +162,7 @@ pub fn validate_external_join_request(request: ExternalJoinRequest) -> ExternalJ
         };
     }
 
-    match validate_group_info_message(request.proposed_external_join_info_message.clone(), 
+    match validate_group_info_message(request.proposed_external_join_info_message, 
         external_group.group_context().epoch() + 1, 
         external_group.group_context().group_id()) {
         ValidationResult::Valid => {},
@@ -231,13 +211,6 @@ pub fn validate_external_join_request(request: ExternalJoinRequest) -> ExternalJ
         true => {}
     }
 
-    match validate_external_group_can_process_group_info_message(external_group, request.proposed_external_join_info_message) {
-        Ok(_) => {},
-        Err(result) => return ExternalJoinResponse {
-            result: result.into(),
-        }
-    }
-
     return ExternalJoinResponse {
         result: ValidationResult::Valid.into(),
     };
@@ -339,7 +312,7 @@ pub fn validate_welcome_message_request(request: WelcomeMessageRequest) -> Welco
         };
     }
 
-    match validate_group_info_message(request.group_info_message.clone(),
+    match validate_group_info_message(request.group_info_message, 
         external_group.group_context().epoch() + 1, 
         external_group.group_context().group_id()) {
         ValidationResult::Valid => {},
@@ -403,13 +376,6 @@ pub fn validate_welcome_message_request(request: WelcomeMessageRequest) -> Welco
         };
     }
 
-    match validate_external_group_can_process_group_info_message(external_group, request.group_info_message) {
-        Ok(_) => {},
-        Err(result) => return WelcomeMessageResponse {
-            result: result.into(),
-        }
-    }
-
     return WelcomeMessageResponse { 
         result: ValidationResult::Valid.into(), 
     };
diff --git a/packages/sdk/src/tests/multi_ne/mls.test.ts b/packages/sdk/src/tests/multi_ne/mls.test.ts
index f17e2c284f..54bee57168 100644
--- a/packages/sdk/src/tests/multi_ne/mls.test.ts
+++ b/packages/sdk/src/tests/multi_ne/mls.test.ts
@@ -268,22 +268,6 @@ describe('mlsTests', () => {
         )
     })
 
-    test('invalid group info for initialize group is rejected', async () => {
-        const { groupInfoMessage, externalGroupSnapshot } =
-            await createGroupInfoAndExternalSnapshot(bobMlsGroup)
-        // tamper with the message a little bit
-        const invalidGroupInfoMessage = groupInfoMessage
-        invalidGroupInfoMessage[invalidGroupInfoMessage.length - 2] += 1 // make it invalid
-        const payload = makeMlsPayloadInitializeGroup(
-            bobMlsClient.signaturePublicKey(),
-            externalGroupSnapshot,
-            groupInfoMessage,
-        )
-        await expect(bobClient._debugSendMls(streamId, payload)).rejects.toThrow(
-            'INVALID_GROUP_INFO',
-        )
-    })
-
     test('clients can create MLS Groups in channels', async () => {
         const { groupInfoMessage, externalGroupSnapshot } =
             await createGroupInfoAndExternalSnapshot(bobMlsGroup)
@@ -345,26 +329,6 @@ describe('mlsTests', () => {
         )
     })
 
-    test('Invalid group info for external commits is rejected', async () => {
-        const { commit, groupInfoMessage } = await commitExternal(
-            aliceMlsClient,
-            latestGroupInfoMessage,
-            latestExternalGroupSnapshot,
-        )
-        // tamper with the message a little bit
-        const invalidGroupInfoMessage = groupInfoMessage
-        invalidGroupInfoMessage[invalidGroupInfoMessage.length - 2] += 1 // make it invalid
-
-        const aliceMlsPayload = makeMlsPayloadExternalJoin(
-            aliceMlsClient.signaturePublicKey(),
-            commit,
-            invalidGroupInfoMessage,
-        )
-        await expect(aliceClient._debugSendMls(streamId, aliceMlsPayload)).rejects.toThrow(
-            'INVALID_GROUP_INFO',
-        )
-    })
-
     test('Valid external commits are accepted', async () => {
         const { commit: aliceCommit, groupInfoMessage: aliceGroupInfoMessage } =
             await commitExternal(
@@ -580,32 +544,6 @@ describe('mlsTests', () => {
         )
     })
 
-    test('invalid group info for welcome messages is rejected', async () => {
-        const mls = bobClient.streams.get(streamId)!.view.membershipContent.mls
-        const keyPackage = Object.values(mls.pendingKeyPackages)[0]
-        const kp = MlsMessage.fromBytes(keyPackage.keyPackage)
-        const commitOutput = await bobMlsGroup.addMember(kp)
-        await bobMlsGroup.clearPendingCommit()
-        const groupInfoMessage = commitOutput.externalCommitGroupInfo!.toBytes()
-
-        // tamper with the message a little bit
-        const invalidGroupInfoMessage = groupInfoMessage
-        invalidGroupInfoMessage[invalidGroupInfoMessage.length - 2] += 1 // make it invalid
-
-        const commit = commitOutput.commitMessage.toBytes()
-        const welcomeMessages = commitOutput.welcomeMessages.map((wm) => wm.toBytes())
-
-        const payload = makeMlsPayloadWelcomeMessage(
-            commit,
-            [keyPackage.signaturePublicKey],
-            invalidGroupInfoMessage,
-            welcomeMessages,
-        )
-        await expect(aliceClient._debugSendMls(streamId, payload)).rejects.toThrow(
-            'INVALID_GROUP_INFO',
-        )
-    })
-
     test('clients can add other members from key packages', async () => {
         const mls = bobClient.streams.get(streamId)!.view.membershipContent.mls
         const keyPackage = Object.values(mls.pendingKeyPackages)[0]