diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index f3ead07d99..281f70746f 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ i18n_cache
 apidoc/html
 *.swp
 .idea*
-config.json
+config*.json
 npm-debug.log*
 lib
 newrelic_agent.log
diff --git a/website/server/controllers/api-v3/chat.js b/website/server/controllers/api-v3/chat.js
index 60a6001ed1..30729daa98 100644
--- a/website/server/controllers/api-v3/chat.js
+++ b/website/server/controllers/api-v3/chat.js
@@ -74,7 +74,10 @@ api.getChat = {
     if (validationErrors) throw validationErrors;
 
     const { groupId } = req.params;
-    const group = await Group.getGroup({ user, groupId, fields: 'chat' });
+    const group = await Group.getGroup({ user, groupId, fields: 'chat privacy' });
+    if (group.privacy === 'public') {
+      throw new BadRequest(res.t('featureRetired'));
+    }
     if (!group) throw new NotFound(res.t('groupNotFound'));
 
     const groupChat = await Group.toJSONCleanChat(group, user);
@@ -249,6 +252,9 @@ api.likeChat = {
 
     const group = await Group.getGroup({ user, groupId });
     if (!group) throw new NotFound(res.t('groupNotFound'));
+    if (group.privacy === 'public') {
+      throw new BadRequest(res.t('featureRetired'));
+    }
 
     const message = await Chat.findOne({ _id: req.params.chatId }).exec();
     if (!message) throw new NotFound(res.t('messageGroupChatNotFound'));