diff --git a/src/poetry/console/commands/group_command.py b/src/poetry/console/commands/group_command.py
index e84a5f72323..fb8e3c7cf1c 100644
--- a/src/poetry/console/commands/group_command.py
+++ b/src/poetry/console/commands/group_command.py
@@ -60,6 +60,15 @@ def non_optional_groups(self) -> set[str]:
             if not group.is_optional()
         }
 
+    @property
+    def default_groups(self) -> set[str]:
+        """
+        The groups that are considered by the command by default.
+
+        Can be overridden to adapt behavior.
+        """
+        return self.non_optional_groups
+
     @property
     def activated_groups(self) -> set[str]:
         groups = {}
@@ -93,9 +102,9 @@ def activated_groups(self) -> set[str]:
                 "</warning>"
             )
 
-        return groups["only"] or self.non_optional_groups.union(
-            groups["with"]
-        ).difference(groups["without"])
+        return groups["only"] or self.default_groups.union(groups["with"]).difference(
+            groups["without"]
+        )
 
     def project_with_activated_groups_only(self) -> ProjectPackage:
         return self.poetry.package.with_dependency_groups(