diff --git src/bp-activity/bp-activity-template.php src/bp-activity/bp-activity-template.php
index b2f8036..12524a3 100644
--- src/bp-activity/bp-activity-template.php
+++ src/bp-activity/bp-activity-template.php
@@ -622,8 +622,8 @@ function bp_has_activities( $args = '' ) {
 	if ( empty( $search_terms ) && ! empty( $_REQUEST['s'] ) )
 		$search_terms = $_REQUEST['s'];
 
-	// Set some default arguments when using a scope
-	if ( ! empty( $scope ) ) {
+	// A number of pre-defined scopes require specific values for user_id and show_hidden.
+	if ( $scope && in_array( $scope, array( 'just-me', 'friends', 'groups', 'favorites', 'mentions' ) ) ) {
 		// Determine which user ID applies
 		if ( empty( $user_id ) ) {
 			$user_id = bp_displayed_user_id() ? bp_displayed_user_id() : bp_loggedin_user_id();
diff --git tests/phpunit/testcases/activity/template.php tests/phpunit/testcases/activity/template.php
index f61a61b..cca9e64 100644
--- tests/phpunit/testcases/activity/template.php
+++ tests/phpunit/testcases/activity/template.php
@@ -858,6 +858,62 @@ class BP_Tests_Activity_Template extends BP_UnitTestCase {
 	}
 
 	/**
+	 * @group BP6169
+	 */
+	public function test_bp_has_activities_private_group_home_scope() {
+		global $activities_template;
+		$bp = buddypress();
+		$reset_current_group = $bp->groups->current_group;
+		$reset_current_action = $bp->current_action;
+
+		$u1 = $this->factory->user->create();
+		$u2 = $this->factory->user->create();
+		$u3 = $this->factory->user->create();
+
+		$this->set_current_user( $u1 );
+
+		$g = $this->factory->group->create( array(
+			'status' => 'private',
+		) );
+
+		groups_join_group( $g, $u2 );
+		groups_join_group( $g, $u3 );
+
+		$a1 = $this->factory->activity->create( array(
+			'component' => $bp->groups->id,
+			'item_id'   => $g,
+			'type'      => 'activity_update',
+			'user_id'   => $u2,
+			'content'   => 'foo bar',
+		) );
+
+		$a2 = $this->factory->activity->create( array(
+			'component' => $bp->groups->id,
+			'item_id'   => $g,
+			'type'      => 'activity_update',
+			'user_id'   => $u3,
+			'content'   => 'bar foo',
+		) );
+
+		$bp->groups->current_group = groups_get_group( array(
+			'group_id'        => $g,
+			'populate_extras' => true,
+		) );
+
+		// On group's home the scope is set to 'home'
+		$bp->current_action = 'home';
+
+		bp_has_activities( array( 'action' => 'activity_update' ) );
+
+		$this->assertEqualSets( array( $a1, $a2 ), wp_list_pluck( $activities_template->activities, 'id' ) );
+
+		// clean up!
+		$activities_template = null;
+		$bp->groups->current_group = $reset_current_group;
+		$bp->current_action = $reset_current_action;
+	}
+
+	/**
 	 * Integration test for 'meta_query' param
 	 */
 	function test_bp_has_activities_with_meta_query() {