diff --git a/sqlglot/optimizer/qualify_columns.py b/sqlglot/optimizer/qualify_columns.py
index 0fd4fc6471..5abe70e137 100644
--- a/sqlglot/optimizer/qualify_columns.py
+++ b/sqlglot/optimizer/qualify_columns.py
@@ -240,13 +240,21 @@ def _expand_alias_refs(scope: Scope, resolver: Resolver, expand_only_groupby: bo
     def replace_columns(
         node: t.Optional[exp.Expression], resolve_table: bool = False, literal_index: bool = False
     ) -> None:
-        if not node or (expand_only_groupby and not isinstance(node, exp.Group)):
+        is_group_by = isinstance(node, exp.Group)
+        if not node or (expand_only_groupby and not is_group_by):
             return
 
         for column in walk_in_scope(node, prune=lambda node: node.is_star):
             if not isinstance(column, exp.Column):
                 continue
 
+            # BigQuery's GROUP BY allows alias expansion only for standalone names, e.g:
+            #   SELECT FUNC(col) AS col FROM t GROUP BY col --> Can be expanded
+            #   SELECT FUNC(col) AS col FROM t GROUP BY FUNC(col)  --> Shouldn't be expanded, will result to FUNC(FUNC(col))
+            # This not required for the HAVING clause as it can evaluate expressions using both the alias & the table columns
+            if expand_only_groupby and is_group_by and column.parent is not node:
+                continue
+
             table = resolver.get_table(column.name) if resolve_table and not column.table else None
             alias_expr, i = alias_to_expression.get(column.name, (None, 1))
             double_agg = (
@@ -273,9 +281,8 @@ def replace_columns(
                     if simplified is not column:
                         column.replace(simplified)
 
-    for i, projection in enumerate(scope.expression.selects):
+    for i, projection in enumerate(expression.selects):
         replace_columns(projection)
-
         if isinstance(projection, exp.Alias):
             alias_to_expression[projection.alias] = (projection.this, i + 1)
 
diff --git a/tests/test_optimizer.py b/tests/test_optimizer.py
index 2a51d84cac..93132859b7 100644
--- a/tests/test_optimizer.py
+++ b/tests/test_optimizer.py
@@ -602,6 +602,16 @@ def test_expand_alias_refs(self):
             "WITH data AS (SELECT 1 AS id, 2 AS my_id, 'a' AS name, 'b' AS full_name) SELECT data.id AS my_id, CONCAT(data.id, data.name) AS full_name FROM data WHERE data.id = 1 GROUP BY data.id, CONCAT(data.id, data.name) HAVING data.id = 1",
         )
 
+        # Edge case: BigQuery shouldn't expand aliases in complex expressions
+        sql = "WITH data AS (SELECT 1 AS id) SELECT FUNC(id) AS id FROM data GROUP BY FUNC(id)"
+        self.assertEqual(
+            optimizer.qualify_columns.qualify_columns(
+                parse_one(sql, dialect="bigquery"),
+                schema=MappingSchema(schema=unused_schema, dialect="bigquery"),
+            ).sql(),
+            "WITH data AS (SELECT 1 AS id) SELECT FUNC(data.id) AS id FROM data GROUP BY FUNC(data.id)",
+        )
+
     def test_optimize_joins(self):
         self.check_file(
             "optimize_joins",