diff --git a/packages/backend-core/src/db/couch/DatabaseImpl.ts b/packages/backend-core/src/db/couch/DatabaseImpl.ts
index 2ca52a2dce..1213dde8f5 100644
--- a/packages/backend-core/src/db/couch/DatabaseImpl.ts
+++ b/packages/backend-core/src/db/couch/DatabaseImpl.ts
@@ -371,15 +371,21 @@ export class DatabaseImpl implements Database {
     return this.performCall(() => {
       return async () => {
         const response = await directCouchUrlCall(args)
-        if (response.status >= 300) {
-          const text = await response.text()
-          console.error(`SQS error: ${text}`)
-          throw new CouchDBError(
-            "error while running SQS query, please try again later",
-            { name: "sqs_error", status: response.status }
-          )
+        const text = await response.text()
+        if (response.status > 300) {
+          let json
+          try {
+            json = JSON.parse(text)
+          } catch (err) {
+            console.error(`SQS error: ${text}`)
+            throw new CouchDBError(
+              "error while running SQS query, please try again later",
+              { name: "sqs_error", status: response.status }
+            )
+          }
+          throw json
         }
-        return (await response.json()) as T
+        return JSON.parse(text) as T
       }
     })
   }
diff --git a/packages/server/src/api/routes/tests/viewV2.spec.ts b/packages/server/src/api/routes/tests/viewV2.spec.ts
index ca4805864b..fe926170b9 100644
--- a/packages/server/src/api/routes/tests/viewV2.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/server/src/api/routes/tests/viewV2.spec.ts
@@ -1067,6 +1067,26 @@ describe.each([
             )
           })
 
+          it("can add a new group by field that is invisible, even if required on the table", async () => {
+            view.schema!.name = { visible: false }
+            await config.api.viewV2.update(view)
+
+            const { rows } = await config.api.row.search(view.id)
+            expect(rows).toHaveLength(2)
+            expect(rows).toEqual(
+              expect.arrayContaining([
+                {
+                  country: "USA",
+                  age: 65,
+                },
+                {
+                  country: "UK",
+                  age: 61,
+                },
+              ])
+            )
+          })
+
           it("can add a new calculation field", async () => {
             view.schema!.count = {
               visible: true,
diff --git a/packages/server/src/sdk/app/views/index.ts b/packages/server/src/sdk/app/views/index.ts
index be7259b057..e1568eac6e 100644
--- a/packages/server/src/sdk/app/views/index.ts
+++ b/packages/server/src/sdk/app/views/index.ts
@@ -122,7 +122,11 @@ async function guardViewSchema(
   }
 
   await checkReadonlyFields(table, view)
-  checkRequiredFields(table, view)
+
+  if (!helpers.views.isCalculationView(view)) {
+    checkRequiredFields(table, view)
+  }
+
   checkDisplayField(view)
 }