diff --git a/src/c3nav/mapdata/models/geometry/level.py b/src/c3nav/mapdata/models/geometry/level.py
index 3b52a5e7..1cd674a2 100644
--- a/src/c3nav/mapdata/models/geometry/level.py
+++ b/src/c3nav/mapdata/models/geometry/level.py
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ class LevelGeometryMixin(GeometryMixin):
             _('Level'),
             {
                 'id': self.level_id,
-                'slug': self.level.get_slug(),
+                'slug': self.level.effective_slug,
                 'title': self.level.title,
                 'can_search': self.level.can_search,
             },
diff --git a/src/c3nav/mapdata/models/geometry/space.py b/src/c3nav/mapdata/models/geometry/space.py
index e2747cbb..7f9ed6ae 100644
--- a/src/c3nav/mapdata/models/geometry/space.py
+++ b/src/c3nav/mapdata/models/geometry/space.py
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ class SpaceGeometryMixin(GeometryMixin):
             _('Space'),
             {
                 'id': self.space_id,
-                'slug': self.space.get_slug(),
+                'slug': self.space.effective_slug,
                 'title': self.space.title,
                 'can_search': self.space.can_search,
             },
diff --git a/src/c3nav/mapdata/models/locations.py b/src/c3nav/mapdata/models/locations.py
index 5c133d87..dd20a88c 100644
--- a/src/c3nav/mapdata/models/locations.py
+++ b/src/c3nav/mapdata/models/locations.py
@@ -81,18 +81,20 @@ class LocationSlug(SerializableMixin, models.Model):
                 return getattr(self, model._meta.default_related_name)
         return None
 
-    def get_slug(self):
+    @property
+    def effective_slug(self):
         return self.slug
 
     def _serialize(self, **kwargs):
         result = super()._serialize(**kwargs)
         result["locationtype"] = self.__class__.__name__.lower()
-        result['slug'] = self.get_slug()
+        result['slug'] = self.slug
+        result['effective_slug'] = self.effective_slug
         return result
 
     def details_display(self, **kwargs):
         result = super().details_display(**kwargs)
-        result['display'].insert(2, (_('Slug'), self.get_slug()))
+        result['display'].insert(2, (_('Slug'), self.effective_slug))
         return result
 
     @cached_property
@@ -116,9 +118,9 @@ class Location(LocationSlug, AccessRestrictionMixin, TitledMixin, models.Model):
     def serialize(self, detailed=True, **kwargs):
         result = super().serialize(detailed=detailed, **kwargs)
         if not detailed:
-            fields = ('id', 'type', 'slug', 'title', 'subtitle', 'icon', 'point', 'bounds', 'grid_square',
-                      'locations', 'on_top_of', 'effective_label_settings', 'label_override', 'add_search', 'dynamic',
-                      'locationtype', 'geometry')
+            fields = ('id', 'type', 'slug', 'effective_slug', 'title', 'subtitle', 'icon', 'point', 'bounds',
+                      'grid_square', 'locations', 'on_top_of', 'effective_label_settings', 'label_override',
+                      'add_search', 'dynamic', 'locationtype', 'geometry')
             result = {name: result[name] for name in fields if name in result}
         return result
 
@@ -144,7 +146,8 @@ class Location(LocationSlug, AccessRestrictionMixin, TitledMixin, models.Model):
         ])
         return result
 
-    def get_slug(self):
+    @property
+    def effective_slug(self):
         if self.slug is None:
             code = self.LOCATION_TYPE_CODES.get(self.__class__.__name__)
             if code is not None:
@@ -244,7 +247,7 @@ class SpecificLocation(Location, models.Model):
                 category.title if category.single else category.title_plural,
                 tuple({
                     'id': group.pk,
-                    'slug': group.get_slug(),
+                    'slug': group.effective_slug,
                     'title': group.title,
                     'can_search': group.can_search,
                 } for group in sorted(groups, key=attrgetter('priority'), reverse=True))
@@ -356,6 +359,8 @@ class LocationGroupManager(models.Manager):
 
 
 class LocationGroup(Location, models.Model):
+    new_serialize = True
+
     class CanReportMissing(models.TextChoices):
         DONT_OFFER = "dont_offer", _("don't offer")
         REJECT = "reject", _("offer in first step, then reject")
@@ -692,7 +697,8 @@ class Position(CustomLocationProxyMixin, models.Model):
     def slug(self):
         return 'p:%s' % self.secret
 
-    def get_slug(self):
+    @property
+    def effective_slug(self):
         return self.slug
 
     def serialize(self, *args, **kwargs):
diff --git a/src/c3nav/mapdata/schemas/model_base.py b/src/c3nav/mapdata/schemas/model_base.py
index 568d4b6b..f01976bc 100644
--- a/src/c3nav/mapdata/schemas/model_base.py
+++ b/src/c3nav/mapdata/schemas/model_base.py
@@ -41,11 +41,15 @@ class DjangoModelSchema(BaseSchema):
 
 
 class LocationSlugSchema(BaseSchema):
-    slug: NonEmptyStr = APIField(
+    slug: Optional[NonEmptyStr] = APIField(
         title="location slug",
         description="a slug is a unique way to refer to a location. while locations have a shared ID space, slugs"
-                    "are meants to be human-readable and easy to remember.\n\n"
-                    "if a location doesn't have a slug defined, this field holds a slug generated from the "
+                    "are meants to be human-readable and easy to remember.",
+        example="entrance",
+    )
+    effective_slug: NonEmptyStr = APIField(
+        title="effective location slug",
+        description="if a location doesn't have a slug defined, this field holds a slug generated from the "
                     "location type and ID, which will work even  if a human-readable slug is defined later.\n\n"
                     "even dynamic locations like coordinates have an (auto-generated) slug.",
         example="entrance",
diff --git a/src/c3nav/mapdata/schemas/models.py b/src/c3nav/mapdata/schemas/models.py
index 3a19bbb9..13b83cb4 100644
--- a/src/c3nav/mapdata/schemas/models.py
+++ b/src/c3nav/mapdata/schemas/models.py
@@ -222,16 +222,7 @@ class LocationGroupSchema(LocationSchema, DjangoModelSchema):
     )
     priority: int = APIField()  # todo: ???
     hierarchy: int = APIField()  # todo: ???
-    label_settings: Union[
-        Annotated[LabelSettingsSchema, APIField(
-            title="label settings",
-            description="label settings to use for gruop members that don't have their own set",
-        )],
-        Annotated[None, APIField(
-            title="null",
-            description="no label settings set"
-        )],
-    ] = APIField(
+    label_settings: Optional[PositiveInt] = APIField(
         default=None,
         title="label settings",
         description=(
diff --git a/src/c3nav/mapdata/utils/cache/stats.py b/src/c3nav/mapdata/utils/cache/stats.py
index 6bf54c1f..f718639c 100644
--- a/src/c3nav/mapdata/utils/cache/stats.py
+++ b/src/c3nav/mapdata/utils/cache/stats.py
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ def convert_locate(data):
     for measurement in BeaconMeasurement.objects.all().select_related('space', 'space__level'):
         pos = CustomLocation(measurement.space.level, measurement.geometry.x, measurement.geometry.y,
                              permissions=set())
-        space_slug = measurement.space.get_slug()
+        space_slug = measurement.space.effective_slug
         level_label = measurement.space.level.short_label
         grid_square = pos.grid_square if grid.enabled else None
         measurement_lookup[pos.pk] = (measurement.pk, grid_square, space_slug, level_label)
@@ -143,23 +143,23 @@ def convert_location(data):
         location = location.get_child()
         if isinstance(location, LocationRedirect):
             continue
-        result['locations']['by_type'].setdefault(location.__class__.__name__.lower(), {})[location.get_slug()] = 0
-        location_slugs[location.pk] = location.get_slug()
+        result['locations']['by_type'].setdefault(location.__class__.__name__.lower(), {})[location.effective_slug] = 0
+        location_slugs[location.pk] = location.effective_slug
         if isinstance(location, Level):
             result['locations']['by_level'][location.short_label] = 0
             result['coordinates']['by_level'][location.short_label] = 0
             level_labels[location.pk] = location.short_label
         if isinstance(location, Space):
-            result['locations']['by_space'][location.get_slug()] = 0
-            result['coordinates']['by_space'][location.get_slug()] = 0
+            result['locations']['by_space'][location.effective_slug] = 0
+            result['coordinates']['by_space'][location.effective_slug] = 0
         if isinstance(location, Area):
             if getattr(location, 'can_search', False) or getattr(location, 'can_describe', False):
-                result['coordinates']['by_area'][location.get_slug()] = 0
+                result['coordinates']['by_area'][location.effective_slug] = 0
         if isinstance(location, POI):
             if getattr(location, 'can_search', False) or getattr(location, 'can_describe', False):
-                result['coordinates']['by_poi'][location.get_slug()] = 0
+                result['coordinates']['by_poi'][location.effective_slug] = 0
         if isinstance(location, LocationGroup):
-            result['locations']['by_group'][location.get_slug()] = 0
+            result['locations']['by_group'][location.effective_slug] = 0
 
     for name, value in data:
         if name[0] != 'pk' or name[0] == 'c:anywhere':
@@ -187,7 +187,7 @@ def convert_location(data):
             result['locations']['total'] += value
             location = getattr(location, 'target', location)
             result['locations']['by_type'].setdefault(location.__class__.__name__.lower(),
-                                                      {})[location.get_slug()] += value
+                                                      {})[location.effective_slug] += value
             if hasattr(location, 'space_id'):
                 result['locations']['by_space'][location_slugs[location.space_id]] += value
             if hasattr(location, 'level_id'):
diff --git a/src/c3nav/mapdata/utils/locations.py b/src/c3nav/mapdata/utils/locations.py
index 2e3a3ba0..451f313a 100644
--- a/src/c3nav/mapdata/utils/locations.py
+++ b/src/c3nav/mapdata/utils/locations.py
@@ -342,32 +342,32 @@ class CustomLocation:
                 (_('Slug'), self.pk),
                 (_('Level'), {
                     'id': self.level.pk,
-                    'slug': self.level.get_slug(),
+                    'slug': self.level.effective_slug,
                     'title': self.level.title,
                     'can_search': self.level.can_search,
                 }),
                 (_('Space'), {
                     'id': self.space.pk,
-                    'slug': self.space.get_slug(),
+                    'slug': self.space.effective_slug,
                     'title': self.space.title,
                     'can_search': self.space.can_search,
                 } if self.space else None),
                 (_('Areas'), tuple({
                     'id': area.pk,
-                    'slug': area.get_slug(),
+                    'slug': area.effective_slug,
                     'title': area.title,
                     'can_search': area.can_search,
                 } for area in self.areas)),
                 (_('Grid Square'), self.grid_square or None),
                 (_('Near Area'), {
                     'id': self.near_area.pk,
-                    'slug': self.near_area.get_slug(),
+                    'slug': self.near_area.effective_slug,
                     'title': self.near_area.title,
                     'can_search': self.near_area.can_search,
                 } if self.near_area else None),
                 (_('Near POI'), {
                     'id': self.near_poi.pk,
-                    'slug': self.near_poi.get_slug(),
+                    'slug': self.near_poi.effective_slug,
                     'title': self.near_poi.title,
                     'can_search': self.near_poi.can_search,
                 } if self.near_poi else None),
@@ -459,7 +459,8 @@ class CustomLocation:
     def get_icon(self):
         return self.icon
 
-    def get_slug(self):
+    @property
+    def effective_slug(self):
         return self.pk
 
     @cached_property
diff --git a/src/c3nav/mapdata/views.py b/src/c3nav/mapdata/views.py
index 389dcdca..2fe06914 100644
--- a/src/c3nav/mapdata/views.py
+++ b/src/c3nav/mapdata/views.py
@@ -150,7 +150,7 @@ def preview_location(request, slug):
     if location is None:
         raise Http404
 
-    slug = location.get_slug()
+    slug = location.effective_slug
 
     if isinstance(location, CustomLocation):
         geometries = [Point(location.x, location.y)]
diff --git a/src/c3nav/site/static/site/js/c3nav.js b/src/c3nav/site/static/site/js/c3nav.js
index 713eb7f5..d59fc445 100644
--- a/src/c3nav/site/static/site/js/c3nav.js
+++ b/src/c3nav/site/static/site/js/c3nav.js
@@ -169,7 +169,7 @@ c3nav = {
                 location.elem = c3nav._build_location_html(location);
                 location.title_words = location.title.toLowerCase().split(/\s+/);
                 location.subtitle_words = location.subtitle.toLowerCase().split(/\s+/);
-                location.match = ' ' + location.title_words.join(' ') + ' ' + location.subtitle_words.join(' ') + '  ' + location.slug + ' ' + location.add_search.toLowerCase();
+                location.match = ' ' + location.title_words.join(' ') + ' ' + location.subtitle_words.join(' ') + '  ' + location.effective_slug + ' ' + location.add_search.toLowerCase();
                 locations.push(location);
                 locations_by_id[location.id] = location;
                 if (location.point && location.label_settings) {
@@ -464,7 +464,7 @@ c3nav = {
                 for (var j = 0; j < sublocations.length; j++) {
                     loc = sublocations[j];
                     if (loc.can_search) {
-                        loclist.append($('<a>').attr('href', '/l/' + loc.slug + '/details/').attr('data-id', loc.id).click(function (e) {
+                        loclist.append($('<a>').attr('href', '/l/' + loc.effective_slug + '/details/').attr('data-id', loc.id).click(function (e) {
                             e.preventDefault();
                             c3nav._locationinput_set($('#destination-input'), c3nav.locations_by_id[parseInt($(this).attr('data-id'))]);
                             c3nav.update_state(false, false, true);
@@ -736,12 +736,12 @@ c3nav = {
         var url = embed ? '/embed' : '';
         if (state.routing) {
             if (state.origin) {
-                url += (state.destination) ? '/r/' + state.origin.slug + '/' + state.destination.slug + '/' : '/o/' + state.origin.slug + '/';
+                url += (state.destination) ? '/r/' + state.origin.effective_slug + '/' + state.destination.effective_slug + '/' : '/o/' + state.origin.effective_slug + '/';
             } else {
-                url += (state.destination) ? '/d/' + state.destination.slug + '/' : '/r/';
+                url += (state.destination) ? '/d/' + state.destination.effective_slug + '/' : '/r/';
             }
         } else {
-            url += state.destination ? ('/l/' + state.destination.slug + '/') : '/';
+            url += state.destination ? ('/l/' + state.destination.effective_slug + '/') : '/';
         }
         if (state.details && (url.startsWith('/l/') || url.startsWith('/r/'))) {
             url += 'details/'
@@ -900,9 +900,8 @@ c3nav = {
     _buttons_share_click: function (location) {
         var url = c3nav._get_share_url(false, location);
         if (navigator.share) {
-            var title
-                , subtitle;
-            if (location.slug) {
+            var title, subtitle;
+            if (location.effective_slug) {
                 title = location.title;
                 subtitle = location.subtitle;
             } else {
@@ -923,8 +922,8 @@ c3nav = {
     },
     _get_share_url: function (with_position, location) {
         var url, state = $.extend({}, c3nav.state);
-        if (location.slug) {
-            url = '/l/' + location.slug + '/';
+        if (location.effective_slug) {
+            url = '/l/' + location.effective_slug + '/';
         } else {
             if (!with_position) {
                 state.center = null;
diff --git a/src/c3nav/site/views.py b/src/c3nav/site/views.py
index fa414fd4..e715e11d 100644
--- a/src/c3nav/site/views.py
+++ b/src/c3nav/site/views.py
@@ -150,24 +150,24 @@ def map_index(request, mode=None, slug=None, slug2=None, details=None, options=N
         metadata = {
             'title': _('Route from %s to %s') % (origin.title, destination.title),
             'preview_img_url': request.build_absolute_uri(reverse('mapdata.preview.route', kwargs={
-                'slug': origin.get_slug(),
-                'slug2': destination.get_slug(),
+                'slug': origin.effective_slug,
+                'slug2': destination.effective_slug,
             })),
             'canonical_url': request.build_absolute_uri(reverse('site.index', kwargs={
                 'mode': 'r',
-                'slug': origin.get_slug(),
-                'slug2': destination.get_slug(),
+                'slug': origin.effective_slug,
+                'slug2': destination.effective_slug,
                 'details': False,
                 'options': False,
             })),
         }
     elif destination is not None or origin is not None:
         if destination is not None:
-            loc_slug = destination.get_slug()
+            loc_slug = destination.effective_slug
             title = destination.title
             subtitle = destination.subtitle if hasattr(destination, 'subtitle') else None
         else:
-            loc_slug = origin.get_slug()
+            loc_slug = origin.effective_slug
             title = origin.title
             subtitle = origin.subtitle if hasattr(origin, 'subtitle') else None
         metadata = {
@@ -579,7 +579,7 @@ def report_missing_choose(request, coordinates):
         'locations': [
             {
                 "url": reverse('site.report_create',
-                               kwargs={"coordinates": coordinates, "group": group.get_slug()}),
+                               kwargs={"coordinates": coordinates, "group": group.effective_slug}),
                 "location": group,
                 "replace_subtitle": group.description
             }