diff --git a/pkg/cache/application.go b/pkg/cache/application.go
index 8438957ba..694e57137 100644
--- a/pkg/cache/application.go
+++ b/pkg/cache/application.go
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ type Application struct {
 	groups                     []string
 	taskMap                    map[string]*Task
 	tags                       map[string]string
-	taskGroups                 []TaskGroup
+	taskGroups                 map[string]*TaskGroup
 	taskGroupsDefinition       string
 	schedulingParamsDefinition string
 	placeholderOwnerReferences []metav1.OwnerReference
@@ -71,6 +71,7 @@ func (app *Application) String() string {
 
 func NewApplication(appID, queueName, user string, groups []string, tags map[string]string, scheduler api.SchedulerAPI) *Application {
 	taskMap := make(map[string]*Task)
+	taskGroups := make(map[string]*TaskGroup)
 	app := &Application{
 		applicationID:           appID,
 		queue:                   queueName,
@@ -80,7 +81,7 @@ func NewApplication(appID, queueName, user string, groups []string, tags map[str
 		taskMap:                 taskMap,
 		tags:                    tags,
 		sm:                      newAppState(),
-		taskGroups:              make([]TaskGroup, 0),
+		taskGroups:              taskGroups,
 		lock:                    &locking.RWMutex{},
 		schedulerAPI:            scheduler,
 		placeholderTimeoutInSec: 0,
@@ -166,9 +167,16 @@ func (app *Application) GetSchedulingParamsDefinition() string {
 func (app *Application) setTaskGroups(taskGroups []TaskGroup) {
 	app.lock.Lock()
 	defer app.lock.Unlock()
-	app.taskGroups = taskGroups
-	for _, taskGroup := range app.taskGroups {
-		app.placeholderAsk = common.Add(app.placeholderAsk, common.GetTGResource(taskGroup.MinResource, int64(taskGroup.MinMember)))
+	for _, tg := range taskGroups {
+		taskGroup := tg
+		if _, exists := app.taskGroups[taskGroup.Name]; exists {
+			log.Log(log.ShimCacheApplication).Warn("duplicate task-group within the task-groups",
+				zap.String("appID", app.applicationID),
+				zap.String("groupName", taskGroup.Name))
+		} else {
+			app.taskGroups[taskGroup.Name] = &taskGroup
+			app.placeholderAsk = common.Add(app.placeholderAsk, common.GetTGResource(taskGroup.MinResource, int64(taskGroup.MinMember)))
+		}
 	}
 }
 
@@ -181,7 +189,14 @@ func (app *Application) getPlaceholderAsk() *si.Resource {
 func (app *Application) getTaskGroups() []TaskGroup {
 	app.lock.RLock()
 	defer app.lock.RUnlock()
-	return app.taskGroups
+
+	taskGroups := make([]TaskGroup, 0)
+	if len(app.taskGroups) > 0 {
+		for _, taskGroup := range app.taskGroups {
+			taskGroups = append(taskGroups, *taskGroup)
+		}
+	}
+	return taskGroups
 }
 
 func (app *Application) setPlaceholderOwnerReferences(ref []metav1.OwnerReference) {
diff --git a/pkg/cache/placeholder_test.go b/pkg/cache/placeholder_test.go
index cbabd2891..f02267d20 100644
--- a/pkg/cache/placeholder_test.go
+++ b/pkg/cache/placeholder_test.go
@@ -119,9 +119,10 @@ func TestNewPlaceholder(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.Equal(t, app.placeholderAsk.Resources[siCommon.Memory].Value, int64(10*1024*1000*1000))
 	assert.Equal(t, app.placeholderAsk.Resources["pods"].Value, int64(10))
 
-	holder := newPlaceholder("ph-name", app, app.taskGroups[0])
+	tgs := app.getTaskGroups()
+	holder := newPlaceholder("ph-name", app, tgs[0])
 	assert.Equal(t, holder.appID, appID)
-	assert.Equal(t, holder.taskGroupName, app.taskGroups[0].Name)
+	assert.Equal(t, holder.taskGroupName, tgs[0].Name)
 	assert.Equal(t, holder.pod.Spec.SchedulerName, constants.SchedulerName)
 	assert.Equal(t, holder.pod.Name, "ph-name")
 	assert.Equal(t, holder.pod.Namespace, namespace)
@@ -132,7 +133,7 @@ func TestNewPlaceholder(t *testing.T) {
 		"labelKey1":                           "labelKeyValue1",
 	})
 	assert.Equal(t, len(holder.pod.Annotations), 7, "unexpected number of annotations")
-	assert.Equal(t, holder.pod.Annotations[constants.AnnotationTaskGroupName], app.taskGroups[0].Name)
+	assert.Equal(t, holder.pod.Annotations[constants.AnnotationTaskGroupName], tgs[0].Name)
 	assert.Equal(t, holder.pod.Annotations[constants.AnnotationPlaceholderFlag], constants.True)
 	assert.Equal(t, holder.pod.Annotations["annotationKey0"], "annotationValue0")
 	assert.Equal(t, holder.pod.Annotations["annotationKey1"], "annotationValue1")
@@ -163,7 +164,8 @@ func TestNewPlaceholderWithNodeSelectors(t *testing.T) {
 		"bob", testGroups, map[string]string{constants.AppTagNamespace: namespace}, mockedSchedulerAPI)
 	app.setTaskGroups(taskGroups)
 
-	holder := newPlaceholder("ph-name", app, app.taskGroups[0])
+	tgs := app.getTaskGroups()
+	holder := newPlaceholder("ph-name", app, tgs[0])
 	assert.Equal(t, len(holder.pod.Spec.NodeSelector), 2)
 	assert.Equal(t, holder.pod.Spec.NodeSelector["nodeType"], "test")
 	assert.Equal(t, holder.pod.Spec.NodeSelector["nodeState"], "healthy")
@@ -178,7 +180,8 @@ func TestNewPlaceholderWithTolerations(t *testing.T) {
 		"bob", testGroups, map[string]string{constants.AppTagNamespace: namespace}, mockedSchedulerAPI)
 	app.setTaskGroups(taskGroups)
 
-	holder := newPlaceholder("ph-name", app, app.taskGroups[0])
+	tgs := app.getTaskGroups()
+	holder := newPlaceholder("ph-name", app, tgs[0])
 	assert.Equal(t, len(holder.pod.Spec.Tolerations), 1)
 	tlr := holder.pod.Spec.Tolerations[0]
 	assert.Equal(t, tlr.Key, "key1")
@@ -196,7 +199,8 @@ func TestNewPlaceholderWithAffinity(t *testing.T) {
 		"bob", testGroups, map[string]string{constants.AppTagNamespace: namespace}, mockedSchedulerAPI)
 	app.setTaskGroups(taskGroups)
 
-	holder := newPlaceholder("ph-name", app, app.taskGroups[0])
+	tgs := app.getTaskGroups()
+	holder := newPlaceholder("ph-name", app, tgs[0])
 	assert.Equal(t, len(holder.pod.Spec.Affinity.PodAffinity.RequiredDuringSchedulingIgnoredDuringExecution), 1)
 	term := holder.pod.Spec.Affinity.PodAffinity.RequiredDuringSchedulingIgnoredDuringExecution
 	assert.Equal(t, term[0].TopologyKey, "topologyKey")
@@ -215,14 +219,16 @@ func TestNewPlaceholderTaskGroupsDefinition(t *testing.T) {
 	app := NewApplication(appID, queue,
 		"bob", testGroups, map[string]string{constants.AppTagNamespace: namespace}, mockedSchedulerAPI)
 	app.setTaskGroups(taskGroups)
-	holder := newPlaceholder("ph-name", app, app.taskGroups[0])
+	tgs := app.getTaskGroups()
+	holder := newPlaceholder("ph-name", app, tgs[0])
 	assert.Equal(t, "", holder.pod.Annotations[constants.AnnotationTaskGroups])
 
 	app = NewApplication(appID, queue,
 		"bob", testGroups, map[string]string{constants.AppTagNamespace: namespace}, mockedSchedulerAPI)
 	app.setTaskGroups(taskGroups)
 	app.setTaskGroupsDefinition("taskGroupsDef")
-	holder = newPlaceholder("ph-name", app, app.taskGroups[0])
+	tgs = app.getTaskGroups()
+	holder = newPlaceholder("ph-name", app, tgs[0])
 	assert.Equal(t, "taskGroupsDef", holder.pod.Annotations[constants.AnnotationTaskGroups])
 	var priority *int32
 	assert.Equal(t, priority, holder.pod.Spec.Priority)
@@ -234,7 +240,9 @@ func TestNewPlaceholderExtendedResources(t *testing.T) {
 	app := NewApplication(appID, queue,
 		"bob", testGroups, map[string]string{constants.AppTagNamespace: namespace}, mockedSchedulerAPI)
 	app.setTaskGroups(taskGroups)
-	holder := newPlaceholder("ph-name", app, app.taskGroups[0])
+
+	tgs := app.getTaskGroups()
+	holder := newPlaceholder("ph-name", app, tgs[0])
 	assert.Equal(t, len(holder.pod.Spec.Containers[0].Resources.Requests), 5, "expected requests not found")
 	assert.Equal(t, len(holder.pod.Spec.Containers[0].Resources.Limits), 5, "expected limits not found")
 	assert.Equal(t, holder.pod.Spec.Containers[0].Resources.Limits[gpu], holder.pod.Spec.Containers[0].Resources.Requests[gpu], "gpu: expected same value for request and limit")
@@ -271,7 +279,8 @@ func TestNewPlaceholderWithPriorityClassName(t *testing.T) {
 	app.taskMap[taskID1] = task1
 	app.setOriginatingTask(task1)
 
-	holder := newPlaceholder("ph-name", app, app.taskGroups[0])
+	tgs := app.getTaskGroups()
+	holder := newPlaceholder("ph-name", app, tgs[0])
 	assert.Equal(t, len(holder.pod.Spec.Containers[0].Resources.Requests), 5, "expected requests not found")
 	assert.Equal(t, len(holder.pod.Spec.Containers[0].Resources.Limits), 5, "expected limits not found")
 	assert.Equal(t, holder.pod.Spec.Containers[0].Resources.Limits[gpu], holder.pod.Spec.Containers[0].Resources.Requests[gpu], "gpu: expected same value for request and limit")
@@ -287,7 +296,8 @@ func TestNewPlaceholderWithTopologySpreadConstraints(t *testing.T) {
 		"bob", testGroups, map[string]string{constants.AppTagNamespace: namespace}, mockedSchedulerAPI)
 	app.setTaskGroups(taskGroups)
 
-	holder := newPlaceholder("ph-name", app, app.taskGroups[0])
+	tgs := app.getTaskGroups()
+	holder := newPlaceholder("ph-name", app, tgs[0])
 	assert.Equal(t, len(holder.pod.Spec.TopologySpreadConstraints), 1)
 	assert.Equal(t, holder.pod.Spec.TopologySpreadConstraints[0].MaxSkew, int32(1))
 	assert.Equal(t, holder.pod.Spec.TopologySpreadConstraints[0].TopologyKey, v1.LabelTopologyZone)