diff --git a/website/src/controllers/api-v2/groups.js b/website/src/controllers/api-v2/groups.js
index 0fc969c3af..62ac3804b5 100644
--- a/website/src/controllers/api-v2/groups.js
+++ b/website/src/controllers/api-v2/groups.js
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ var isProd = nconf.get('NODE_ENV') === 'production';
 var api = module.exports;
 var pushNotify = require('./../pushNotifications');
 var analytics = utils.analytics;
-var firebase = require('../../libs/firebase');
+var firebase = require('../../libs/api-v2/firebase');
 
 /*
   ------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/website/src/controllers/api-v2/user.js b/website/src/controllers/api-v2/user.js
index cd747e7d5c..5c6d256044 100644
--- a/website/src/controllers/api-v2/user.js
+++ b/website/src/controllers/api-v2/user.js
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ var moment = require('moment');
 var logging = require('./../../libs/api-v2/logging');
 var acceptablePUTPaths;
 var api = module.exports;
-var firebase = require('../../libs/firebase');
+var firebase = require('../../libs/api-v2/firebase');
 var webhook = require('../../libs/api-v2/webhook');
 
 // api.purchase // Shared.ops
diff --git a/website/src/libs/firebase.js b/website/src/libs/api-v2/firebase.js
similarity index 100%
rename from website/src/libs/firebase.js
rename to website/src/libs/api-v2/firebase.js
diff --git a/website/src/libs/api-v3/firebase.js b/website/src/libs/api-v3/firebase.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..ce20f3c7fc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/website/src/libs/api-v3/firebase.js
@@ -0,0 +1,68 @@
+import Firebase from 'firebase';
+import nconf from 'nconf';
+const IS_PROD = nconf.get('IS_PROD');
+const FIREBASE_CONFIG = nconf.get('FIREBASE');
+const FIREBASE_ENABLED = IS_PROD && FIREBASE_CONFIG.ENABLED === 'true';
+
+let firebaseRef;
+
+if (FIREBASE_ENABLED) {
+  firebaseRef = new Firebase(`https://${FIREBASE_CONFIG.APP}.firebaseio.com`);
+
+  // TODO what happens if an op is sent before client is authenticated?
+  firebaseRef.authWithCustomToken(FIREBASE_CONFIG.SECRET, (err) => {
+    // TODO it's ok to kill the server here? what if FB is offline?
+    if (err) throw new Error('Impossible to authenticate Firebase');
+  });
+}
+
+export function updateGroupData (group) {
+  if (!FIREBASE_ENABLED) return;
+  // TODO is throw ok? we don't have callbacks
+  if (!group) throw new Error('group obj is required.');
+  // Return in case of tavern (comparison working because we use string for _id)
+  if (group._id === 'habitrpg') return;
+
+  firebaseRef.child(`rooms/${group._id}`)
+    .set({
+      name: group.name,
+    });
+}
+
+export function addUserToGroup (groupId, userId) {
+  if (!FIREBASE_ENABLED) return;
+  if (!userId || !groupId) throw new Error('groupId, userId are required.');
+  if (groupId === 'habitrpg') return;
+
+  firebaseRef.child(`members/${groupId}/${userId}`).set(true);
+  firebaseRef.child(`users/${userId}/rooms/${groupId}`).set(true);
+}
+
+export function removeUserFromGroup (groupId, userId) {
+  if (!FIREBASE_ENABLED) return;
+  if (!userId || !groupId) throw new Error('groupId, userId are required.');
+  if (groupId === 'habitrpg') return;
+
+  firebaseRef.child(`members/${groupId}/${userId}`).remove();
+  firebaseRef.child(`users/${userId}/rooms/${groupId}`).remove();
+}
+
+export function deleteGroup (groupId) {
+  if (!FIREBASE_ENABLED) return;
+  if (!groupId) throw new Error('groupId is required.');
+  if (groupId === 'habitrpg') return;
+
+  firebaseRef.child(`members/${groupId}`).remove();
+  // FIXME not really necessary as long as we only store room data,
+  // as empty objects are automatically deleted (/members/... in future...)
+  firebaseRef.child(`rooms/${groupId}`).remove();
+}
+
+// FIXME not really necessary as long as we only store room data,
+// as empty objects are automatically deleted
+export function deleteUser (userId) {
+  if (!FIREBASE_ENABLED) return;
+  if (!userId) throw new Error('userId is required.');
+
+  firebaseRef.child(`users/${userId}`).remove();
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/website/src/models/group.js b/website/src/models/group.js
index b2da0011d7..0d3011cc38 100644
--- a/website/src/models/group.js
+++ b/website/src/models/group.js
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ var _ = require('lodash');
 var async = require('async');
 var logging = require('../libs/api-v2/logging');
 var Challenge = require('./../models/challenge').model;
-var firebase = require('../libs/firebase');
+var firebase = require('../libs/api-v2/firebase');
 
 // NOTE any change to groups' members in MongoDB will have to be run through the API
 // changes made directly to the db will cause Firebase to get out of sync
diff --git a/website/src/server.js b/website/src/server.js
index 2562c9bb87..d8b98b10db 100644
--- a/website/src/server.js
+++ b/website/src/server.js
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ let db = mongoose.connect(nconf.get('NODE_DB_URI'), mongooseOptions, (err) => {
 
 autoinc.init(db);
 
-import './libs/firebase';
+import './libs/api-v3/firebase';
 
 // load schemas & models
 import './models/challenge';