diff --git a/app/src/main/java/org/apache/fineract/ui/online/groups/creategroup/GroupAddressStepFragment.kt b/app/src/main/java/org/apache/fineract/ui/online/groups/creategroup/GroupAddressStepFragment.kt
index 533ffb55..70f9dbb6 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/org/apache/fineract/ui/online/groups/creategroup/GroupAddressStepFragment.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/org/apache/fineract/ui/online/groups/creategroup/GroupAddressStepFragment.kt
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@ import android.view.View
 import android.view.ViewGroup
 import android.widget.ArrayAdapter
 import android.widget.Toast
-import androidx.lifecycle.Observer
 import androidx.lifecycle.ViewModelProviders
 import com.stepstone.stepper.Step
 import com.stepstone.stepper.VerificationError
@@ -63,10 +62,12 @@ class GroupAddressStepFragment : FineractBaseFragment(), Step {
 
     override fun onViewCreated(view: View, savedInstanceState: Bundle?) {
         super.onViewCreated(view, savedInstanceState)
-        viewModel.getCountries().observe(this, Observer {
-            countries = it
-            etCountry.setAdapter(ArrayAdapter(context, android.R.layout.simple_list_item_1, viewModel.getCountryNames(it)))
-        })
+
+        countries = viewModel.getCountries()
+        if (countries.isNotEmpty()) {
+            etCountry.setAdapter(ArrayAdapter(context, android.R.layout.simple_list_item_1,
+                    viewModel.getCountryNames(countries)))
+        }
         etCountry.threshold = 1
 
         if (groupAction == GroupAction.EDIT) {
@@ -144,7 +145,9 @@ class GroupAddressStepFragment : FineractBaseFragment(), Step {
                     }
 
                     override fun getErrorMessage(): String {
-                        return getString(R.string.invalid_country)
+                        return if (countries.isEmpty()) {
+                            getString(R.string.error_loading_countries)
+                        } else getString(R.string.invalid_country)
                     }
                 })
                 .addErrorCallback {
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/org/apache/fineract/ui/online/groups/grouplist/GroupViewModel.kt b/app/src/main/java/org/apache/fineract/ui/online/groups/grouplist/GroupViewModel.kt
index 6f9f159a..c79099cf 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/org/apache/fineract/ui/online/groups/grouplist/GroupViewModel.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/org/apache/fineract/ui/online/groups/grouplist/GroupViewModel.kt
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import androidx.lifecycle.ViewModel
 import io.reactivex.Observable
 import io.reactivex.android.schedulers.AndroidSchedulers
 import io.reactivex.functions.Predicate
+import io.reactivex.observers.DisposableObserver
 import io.reactivex.schedulers.Schedulers
 import kotlinx.coroutines.*
 import org.apache.fineract.data.Status
@@ -44,13 +45,23 @@ class GroupViewModel constructor(val dataManagerGroups: DataManagerGroups, val d
     }
 
     @SuppressLint("CheckResult")
-    fun getCountries(): MutableLiveData<List<Country>> {
-        val countries = MutableLiveData<List<Country>>()
-        dataManagerAnonymous.countries.subscribeOn(Schedulers.io())
+    fun getCountries(): List<Country> {
+        var countries:List<Country> = emptyList()
+
+        dataManagerAnonymous.countries
+                .subscribeOn(Schedulers.io())
                 .observeOn(AndroidSchedulers.mainThread())
-                .subscribe {
-                    countries.value = it
-                }
+                .subscribeWith(object : DisposableObserver<List<Country>?>() {
+                    override fun onNext(countriesList: List<Country>) {
+                        countries = countriesList
+                    }
+
+                    override fun onError(throwable: Throwable) {
+                        countries = emptyList()
+                    }
+
+                    override fun onComplete() {}
+                })
         return countries
     }