diff --git a/apps/api/src/modules/group_buying/service.rs b/apps/api/src/modules/group_buying/service.rs
index b175d44..7646efb 100644
--- a/apps/api/src/modules/group_buying/service.rs
+++ b/apps/api/src/modules/group_buying/service.rs
@@ -181,12 +181,15 @@ pub async fn link_opener(tx: &mut PgConnection, group_id: Uuid, order_id: Uuid)
     repo::set_leader(tx, group_id, order_id).await
 }
 
-/// An unpaid opener cancelling closes a group that has no paid members.
+/// An unpaid opener cancelling closes a group that has no paid members. The
+/// expiry sweep runs first so an elapsed group records `expired` rather than
+/// being relabelled `cancelled`.
 pub async fn cancel_opener_group(
     tx: &mut PgConnection,
     order_id: Uuid,
     group_id: Uuid,
 ) -> ApiResult<()> {
+    repo::expire_due_groups(&mut *tx).await?;
     repo::cancel_empty_opener_group(tx, group_id, order_id).await?;
     Ok(())
 }
diff --git a/apps/api/tests/group_buying.rs b/apps/api/tests/group_buying.rs
index df7a451..21e7876 100644
--- a/apps/api/tests/group_buying.rs
+++ b/apps/api/tests/group_buying.rs
@@ -468,6 +468,35 @@ async fn activity_rejects_a_sku_with_an_overlapping_flash_sale() {
     assert_eq!(res.status(), 409);
 }
 
+#[tokio::test]
+#[serial]
+async fn cancelling_an_elapsed_empty_group_records_expired() {
+    let app = spawn_app().await;
+    let admin = login_admin(&app).await;
+    let (owner, _shop, _product, sku) = setup_sellable(&app, &admin, "gb-precedence", 1000, 10).await;
+    let activity = create_activity(&app, &owner, &sku, 700, 3, 24).await;
+
+    let (token, _) = register_customer(&app, "gb-precedence").await;
+    add_to_cart(&app, &token, &sku, 1).await;
+    let order = place(&app, &token, &sku, &activity, None).await;
+    let group_id = sqlx::query_scalar::<_, Uuid>("SELECT group_id FROM orders WHERE id = $1")
+        .bind(Uuid::parse_str(&order).unwrap())
+        .fetch_one(&app.db)
+        .await
+        .unwrap();
+
+    // The lifetime ends before the opener cancels.
+    sqlx::query("UPDATE collective_groups SET expires_at = now() - interval '1 hour' WHERE id = $1")
+        .bind(group_id)
+        .execute(&app.db)
+        .await
+        .unwrap();
+    assert_eq!(cancel(&app, &token, &order).await, 200);
+
+    // Both conditions hold; an elapsed group is expired, not relabelled cancelled.
+    assert_eq!(group_state(&app, &group_id.to_string()).await.0, "expired");
+}
+
 #[tokio::test]
 #[serial]
 async fn cancelling_does_not_roll_back_paid_seats() {