diff --git a/src/server/services/wms/qgswmsgetcapabilities.cpp b/src/server/services/wms/qgswmsgetcapabilities.cpp
index 57991b05d6b..5ca69dfebb5 100644
--- a/src/server/services/wms/qgswmsgetcapabilities.cpp
+++ b/src/server/services/wms/qgswmsgetcapabilities.cpp
@@ -828,6 +828,12 @@ namespace QgsWms
       {
         QgsLayerTreeNode *treeNode = layerTreeGroupChildren.at( i );
         QDomElement layerElem = doc.createElement( QStringLiteral( "Layer" ) );
+
+        if ( projectSettings )
+        {
+          layerElem.setAttribute( QStringLiteral( "visible" ), treeNode->isVisible() );
+        }
+
         if ( treeNode->nodeType() == QgsLayerTreeNode::NodeGroup )
         {
           QgsLayerTreeGroup *treeGroupChild = static_cast<QgsLayerTreeGroup *>( treeNode );
@@ -840,7 +846,6 @@ namespace QgsWms
 
           if ( projectSettings )
           {
-            layerElem.setAttribute( QStringLiteral( "visible" ), treeGroupChild->isVisible() );
             layerElem.setAttribute( QStringLiteral( "mutuallyExclusive" ), treeGroupChild->isMutuallyExclusive() );
           }