diff --git a/packages/ui-patterns/src/FilterBar/FilterBar.test.tsx b/packages/ui-patterns/src/FilterBar/FilterBar.test.tsx
index eb6dcf8fea2..94732014676 100644
--- a/packages/ui-patterns/src/FilterBar/FilterBar.test.tsx
+++ b/packages/ui-patterns/src/FilterBar/FilterBar.test.tsx
@@ -521,4 +521,69 @@ describe('FilterBar', () => {
     expect(screen.getByDisplayValue('active')).toBeInTheDocument()
     expect(screen.queryByText('AND')).not.toBeInTheDocument()
   })
+
+  it('selects a column named "group" without creating a nested group', async () => {
+    const user = userEvent.setup()
+    const propertiesWithGroup: FilterProperty[] = [
+      {
+        label: 'group',
+        name: 'group',
+        type: 'string',
+        operators: ['=', '!=', 'CONTAINS'],
+      },
+      {
+        label: 'Name',
+        name: 'name',
+        type: 'string',
+        operators: ['=', '!='],
+      },
+    ]
+
+    let currentFilters: FilterGroup = initialFilters
+    const handleFilterChange = vi.fn((filters) => {
+      currentFilters = filters
+    })
+
+    const { rerender } = render(
+      <FilterBar
+        filterProperties={propertiesWithGroup}
+        filters={currentFilters}
+        onFilterChange={handleFilterChange}
+        freeformText=""
+        onFreeformTextChange={mockOnFreeformTextChange}
+      />
+    )
+
+    const freeform = screen.getByPlaceholderText('Filter by group, Name')
+    await user.click(freeform)
+
+    expect(await screen.findByText('group')).toBeInTheDocument()
+
+    await user.click(screen.getByText('group'))
+
+    await waitFor(() => {
+      expect(handleFilterChange).toHaveBeenCalled()
+    })
+
+    rerender(
+      <FilterBar
+        filterProperties={propertiesWithGroup}
+        filters={currentFilters}
+        onFilterChange={handleFilterChange}
+        freeformText=""
+        onFreeformTextChange={mockOnFreeformTextChange}
+      />
+    )
+
+    // Should create a filter condition for the "group" column, NOT a nested filter group
+    expect(currentFilters.conditions).toHaveLength(1)
+    const condition = currentFilters.conditions[0]
+    expect('logicalOperator' in condition).toBe(false)
+    expect((condition as { propertyName: string }).propertyName).toBe('group')
+
+    // Should show the operator input for the "group" column
+    await waitFor(() => {
+      expect(screen.getByLabelText('Operator for group')).toBeInTheDocument()
+    })
+  })
 })
diff --git a/packages/ui-patterns/src/FilterBar/menuItems.test.ts b/packages/ui-patterns/src/FilterBar/menuItems.test.ts
index 73e73972b64..60be56a664c 100644
--- a/packages/ui-patterns/src/FilterBar/menuItems.test.ts
+++ b/packages/ui-patterns/src/FilterBar/menuItems.test.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import { describe, expect, it } from 'vitest'
 
-import { buildOperatorItems, buildValueItems } from './menuItems'
+import { buildOperatorItems, buildPropertyItems, buildValueItems } from './menuItems'
 import { FilterGroup, FilterProperty } from './types'
 
 const stringProperty: FilterProperty = {
@@ -146,3 +146,63 @@ describe('buildValueItems', () => {
     ])
   })
 })
+
+describe('buildPropertyItems', () => {
+  const properties: FilterProperty[] = [
+    { label: 'Name', name: 'name', type: 'string', operators: ['='] },
+    { label: 'Status', name: 'status', type: 'string', operators: ['='] },
+  ]
+
+  it('returns property items matching the input', () => {
+    const items = buildPropertyItems({
+      filterProperties: properties,
+      inputValue: 'nam',
+    })
+
+    expect(items).toEqual([{ value: 'name', label: 'Name' }])
+  })
+
+  it('uses a sentinel value for the "New Group" action when supportsOperators is true', () => {
+    const items = buildPropertyItems({
+      filterProperties: properties,
+      inputValue: '',
+      supportsOperators: true,
+    })
+
+    const groupItem = items.find((item) => item.label === 'New Group')
+    expect(groupItem).toBeDefined()
+    expect(groupItem?.value).toBe('__new_group__')
+  })
+
+  it('does not include "New Group" when supportsOperators is false', () => {
+    const items = buildPropertyItems({
+      filterProperties: properties,
+      inputValue: '',
+      supportsOperators: false,
+    })
+
+    expect(items.find((item) => item.label === 'New Group')).toBeUndefined()
+  })
+
+  it('does not collide with a property named "group"', () => {
+    const propertiesWithGroup: FilterProperty[] = [
+      { label: 'group', name: 'group', type: 'string', operators: ['='] },
+      { label: 'Name', name: 'name', type: 'string', operators: ['='] },
+    ]
+
+    const items = buildPropertyItems({
+      filterProperties: propertiesWithGroup,
+      inputValue: '',
+      supportsOperators: true,
+    })
+
+    const groupPropertyItem = items.find((item) => item.label === 'group')
+    const newGroupItem = items.find((item) => item.label === 'New Group')
+
+    expect(groupPropertyItem).toBeDefined()
+    expect(groupPropertyItem?.value).toBe('group')
+    expect(newGroupItem).toBeDefined()
+    expect(newGroupItem?.value).toBe('__new_group__')
+    expect(groupPropertyItem?.value).not.toBe(newGroupItem?.value)
+  })
+})
diff --git a/packages/ui-patterns/src/FilterBar/menuItems.ts b/packages/ui-patterns/src/FilterBar/menuItems.ts
index bb58c84f5fe..31edfd651b4 100644
--- a/packages/ui-patterns/src/FilterBar/menuItems.ts
+++ b/packages/ui-patterns/src/FilterBar/menuItems.ts
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ export function buildPropertyItems(params: {
   )
 
   if (supportsOperators) {
-    items.push({ value: 'group', label: 'New Group' })
+    items.push({ value: '__new_group__', label: 'New Group' })
   }
 
   if (actions && trimmedInput.length > 0) {
diff --git a/packages/ui-patterns/src/FilterBar/useCommandHandling.ts b/packages/ui-patterns/src/FilterBar/useCommandHandling.ts
index 61119c48a9a..2adbce682ac 100644
--- a/packages/ui-patterns/src/FilterBar/useCommandHandling.ts
+++ b/packages/ui-patterns/src/FilterBar/useCommandHandling.ts
@@ -175,7 +175,7 @@ export function useCommandHandling({
         return
       }
 
-      if (item.value === 'group') {
+      if (item.value === '__new_group__') {
         handleGroupCommand()
         return
       }
diff --git a/packages/ui-patterns/src/FilterBar/useCommandMenu.ts b/packages/ui-patterns/src/FilterBar/useCommandMenu.ts
index 7330c86905b..81b285f7040 100644
--- a/packages/ui-patterns/src/FilterBar/useCommandMenu.ts
+++ b/packages/ui-patterns/src/FilterBar/useCommandMenu.ts
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ export function useCommandMenu({
 
       if (supportsOperators) {
         items.push({
-          value: 'group',
+          value: '__new_group__',
           label: 'New Group',
         })
       }