diff --git a/include/flock/cxx/group-view.hpp b/include/flock/cxx/group-view.hpp
index 07e91d1..44a9c8d 100644
--- a/include/flock/cxx/group-view.hpp
+++ b/include/flock/cxx/group-view.hpp
@@ -167,6 +167,19 @@ class GroupView {
         return MetadataProxy{*this};
     }
 
+    auto copy() const {
+        auto result = GroupView{};
+        auto members = const_cast<GroupView*>(this)->members();
+        for(size_t i = 0; i < members.count(); ++i) {
+            result.members().add(members[i].address.c_str(), members[i].provider_id);
+        }
+        auto metadata = const_cast<GroupView*>(this)->metadata();
+        for(size_t i = 0; i < metadata.count(); ++i) {
+            result.metadata().add(metadata[i].key.c_str(), metadata[i].value.c_str());
+        }
+        return result;
+    }
+
     operator std::string() const {
         std::string result;
         flock_return_t ret = flock_group_view_serialize(
diff --git a/python/mochi/flock/client.py b/python/mochi/flock/client.py
index c18e682..05170a5 100644
--- a/python/mochi/flock/client.py
+++ b/python/mochi/flock/client.py
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ def client(self):
     def update(self):
         self._internal.update()
 
+    @property
     def view(self):
         return self._internal.view
 
@@ -66,7 +67,7 @@ def make_group_handle(self, address: str|pymargo.core.Address, provider_id: int
         if isinstance(address, pymargo.core.Address):
             address = str(address)
         return GroupHandle(
-            self._internal.make_service_handle(address=address, provider_id=provider_id),
+            self._internal.make_group_handle(address=address, provider_id=provider_id),
             self)
 
     def make_group_handle_from_file(self, filename: str):
diff --git a/python/mochi/flock/test_group_handle.py b/python/mochi/flock/test_group_handle.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d10850c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/python/mochi/flock/test_group_handle.py
@@ -0,0 +1,53 @@
+import unittest
+import json
+import mochi.flock.client as mfc
+import mochi.flock.server as mfs
+from mochi.flock.view import GroupView
+import pymargo.core
+
+class TestClient(unittest.TestCase):
+
+    def setUp(self):
+        self.engine = pymargo.core.Engine("na+sm", pymargo.core.server)
+        self.address = str(self.engine.address)
+        config = {
+            "group": {
+                "type": "static",
+                "config": {}
+            }
+        }
+        self.initial_view = GroupView()
+        for i in range(0, 5):
+            self.initial_view.members.add(self.address, i)
+        self.initial_view.metadata.add("mykey", "myvalue")
+        self.providers = []
+        for i in range(0, 5):
+            self.providers.append(
+                mfs.Provider(self.engine, i, json.dumps(config), self.initial_view.copy()))
+        self.client = mfc.Client(self.engine)
+
+    def tearDown(self):
+        del self.client
+        del self.providers
+        self.engine.finalize()
+        del self.engine
+
+    def test_view(self):
+        gh = self.client.make_group_handle(self.address, 3)
+        gh.update()
+        view = gh.view
+        self.assertIsInstance(view, GroupView)
+        self.assertEqual(len(view.members), 5)
+        for i in range(0, 5):
+            self.assertEqual(view.members[i].address, self.address)
+            self.assertEqual(view.members[i].provider_id, i)
+        self.assertEqual(view.metadata["mykey"], "myvalue")
+        print(view)
+
+    def test_update(self):
+        gh = self.client.make_group_handle(self.address, 3)
+        gh.update()
+
+
+if __name__ == '__main__':
+    unittest.main()
diff --git a/python/src/py-flock-common.cpp b/python/src/py-flock-common.cpp
index 8d1b93d..1b3a8a7 100644
--- a/python/src/py-flock-common.cpp
+++ b/python/src/py-flock-common.cpp
@@ -78,5 +78,6 @@ PYBIND11_MODULE(pyflock_common, m) {
         .def("__str__", [](const flock::GroupView& gv) {
                 return static_cast<std::string>(gv);
         })
+        .def("copy", &flock::GroupView::copy)
         ;
 }
diff --git a/src/provider.c b/src/provider.c
index 53e2d04..f9f30c0 100644
--- a/src/provider.c
+++ b/src/provider.c
@@ -74,7 +74,8 @@ flock_return_t flock_provider_register(
         .initial_view = FLOCK_GROUP_VIEW_INITIALIZER,
         .callback_context = NULL,
         .member_update_callback = dispatch_member_update,
-        .metadata_update_callback = dispatch_metadata_update
+        .metadata_update_callback = dispatch_metadata_update,
+        .join = false
     };
 
     FLOCK_GROUP_VIEW_MOVE(a.initial_view, &backend_init_args.initial_view);
@@ -221,17 +222,17 @@ flock_return_t flock_provider_register(
         goto finish;
         // LCOV_EXCL_STOP
     }
-    backend_init_args.join = true;
     bool is_first = false;
-    for(size_t i = 0; i < backend_init_args.initial_view.members.size; ++i) {
-        flock_member_t* member = &backend_init_args.initial_view.members.data[i];
-        if(member->provider_id != provider_id) continue;
-        if(strcmp(member->address, self_addr_str) != 0) continue;
-        backend_init_args.join = false;
-        is_first = i == 0;
-        break;
+    flock_member_t* mem = flock_group_view_find_member(
+        &backend_init_args.initial_view, self_addr_str, provider_id);
+    if(mem) {
+        if(mem == backend_init_args.initial_view.members.data)
+            is_first = true;
+    } else {
+        backend_init_args.join = true;
     }
 
+
     /* create the new group's context */
     void* context = NULL;
     ret = a.backend->init_group(&backend_init_args, &context);