diff --git a/config/alfresco/messages/webclient.properties b/config/alfresco/messages/webclient.properties
index 43e8cf9d9b..87e2cbfbd4 100644
--- a/config/alfresco/messages/webclient.properties
+++ b/config/alfresco/messages/webclient.properties
@@ -579,6 +579,7 @@ title_add_user_group=Add User to Group
 add_user_group_description=Add an existing User to a Group
 select_users=Select Users to add to this Group
 selected_users=Selected Users
+groups_err_group_name_length=Group ID must be between {0} and {1} characters in length. 
 groups_err_group_name=Group ID cannot contain the characters: {0}
 groups_err_exists=A group ID with the same name already exists, group identifiers must be unique.
 Read=Read
diff --git a/config/alfresco/web-client-config.xml b/config/alfresco/web-client-config.xml
index 51d93656cb..95b9cc0e8b 100644
--- a/config/alfresco/web-client-config.xml
+++ b/config/alfresco/web-client-config.xml
@@ -89,6 +89,9 @@
          <username-min-length>2</username-min-length>
          <password-min-length>3</password-min-length>
 
+         <!-- minimum length for group name -->
+         <group-name-min-length>3</group-name-min-length>
+
          <!-- Domain suffix appended to the CIFS URL host name -->
          <!--
          <cifs-url-suffix>.alfresco.org</cifs-url-suffix>
diff --git a/source/java/org/alfresco/web/bean/groups/CreateGroupDialog.java b/source/java/org/alfresco/web/bean/groups/CreateGroupDialog.java
index b22a7419ef..2376a93a81 100644
--- a/source/java/org/alfresco/web/bean/groups/CreateGroupDialog.java
+++ b/source/java/org/alfresco/web/bean/groups/CreateGroupDialog.java
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@ public class CreateGroupDialog extends BaseDialogBean
    transient private AuthorityService authService;
    
    private static final String MSG_ERR_EXISTS = "groups_err_exists";
+   private static final String MSG_GROUPNAME_LENGTH = "groups_err_group_name_length";
    private static final String MSG_ERR_NAME = "groups_err_group_name";
    private static final String MSG_ROOT_GROUPS = "root_groups";
    private static final String MSG_BUTTON_NEW_GROUP = "new_group";
@@ -154,8 +155,17 @@ public class CreateGroupDialog extends BaseDialogBean
 
    public void validateGroupName(FacesContext context, UIComponent component, Object value) throws ValidatorException
    {
-      String name = (String) value;
-      
+      int minGroupNameLength = Application.getClientConfig(context).getMinGroupNameLength();
+
+      String name = ((String)value).trim();
+
+      if (name.length() < minGroupNameLength || name.length() > 100)
+      {
+         String err = MessageFormat.format(Application.getMessage(context, MSG_GROUPNAME_LENGTH),
+               new Object[]{minGroupNameLength, 100});
+         throw new ValidatorException(new FacesMessage(err));
+      }
+
       if (name.indexOf('"') != -1 || name.indexOf('\\') != -1)
       {
          String err = MessageFormat.format(Application.getMessage(context, MSG_ERR_NAME), 
diff --git a/source/java/org/alfresco/web/config/ClientConfigElement.java b/source/java/org/alfresco/web/config/ClientConfigElement.java
index 778ca24542..5f3c757f61 100644
--- a/source/java/org/alfresco/web/config/ClientConfigElement.java
+++ b/source/java/org/alfresco/web/config/ClientConfigElement.java
@@ -80,6 +80,7 @@ public class ClientConfigElement extends ConfigElementAdapter
    private List<QName> simpleSearchAdditionalAttributes = null;
    private int minUsernameLength = 2;
    private int minPasswordLength = 3;
+   private int minGroupNameLength = 3;
    private String breadcrumbMode = BREADCRUMB_PATH;
    private String cifsURLSuffix = null;
    private boolean languageSelect = true;
@@ -276,7 +277,12 @@ public class ClientConfigElement extends ConfigElementAdapter
       {
          combinedElement.setMinPasswordLength(newElement.getMinPasswordLength());
       }
-      
+
+      if (newElement.getMinGroupNameLength() != combinedElement.getMinGroupNameLength())
+      {
+         combinedElement.setMinGroupNameLength(newElement.getMinGroupNameLength());
+      }
+
       if (newElement.getBreadcrumbMode() != null &&
           newElement.getBreadcrumbMode().equals(combinedElement.getBreadcrumbMode()) == false)
       {
@@ -728,7 +734,23 @@ public class ClientConfigElement extends ConfigElementAdapter
    {
       this.minPasswordLength = minPasswordLength;
    }
-   
+
+   /**
+    * @return Returns the minimum length for a group name.
+    */
+   public int getMinGroupNameLength()
+   {
+      return this.minGroupNameLength;
+   }
+
+   /**
+    * @param minGroupNameLength The minimum length of a group name
+    */
+   /*package*/ void setMinGroupNameLength(int minGroupNameLength)
+   {
+      this.minGroupNameLength = minGroupNameLength;
+   }
+
    /**
     * Get the breadcrumb mode
     * 
diff --git a/source/java/org/alfresco/web/config/ClientElementReader.java b/source/java/org/alfresco/web/config/ClientElementReader.java
index 6b10c27b68..520a5f9c09 100644
--- a/source/java/org/alfresco/web/config/ClientElementReader.java
+++ b/source/java/org/alfresco/web/config/ClientElementReader.java
@@ -64,6 +64,7 @@ public class ClientElementReader implements ConfigElementReader
    public static final String ELEMENT_SIMPLESEARCHADDITIONALATTRSQNAME = "qname";
    public static final String ELEMENT_MINUSERNAMELENGTH = "username-min-length";
    public static final String ELEMENT_MINPASSWORDLENGTH = "password-min-length";
+   public static final String ELEMENT_MINGROUPNAMELENGTH = "group-name-min-length";
    public static final String ELEMENT_BREADCRUMB_MODE = "breadcrumb-mode";
    public static final String ELEMENT_CIFSURLSUFFIX = "cifs-url-suffix";
    public static final String ELEMENT_LANGUAGESELECT = "language-select";
@@ -261,7 +262,14 @@ public class ClientElementReader implements ConfigElementReader
          {
             configElement.setMinPasswordLength(Integer.parseInt(minPassword.getTextTrim()));
          }
-         
+
+         // get the minimum length of group names
+         Element minGroupName = element.element(ELEMENT_MINGROUPNAMELENGTH);
+         if (minGroupName != null)
+         {
+            configElement.setMinGroupNameLength(Integer.parseInt(minGroupName.getTextTrim()));
+         }
+
          // get the breadcrumb mode
          Element breadcrumbMode = element.element(ELEMENT_BREADCRUMB_MODE);
          if (breadcrumbMode != null)