diff --git a/ckan/controllers/api.py b/ckan/controllers/api.py
index a587f3d824d..31795f9a0b2 100644
--- a/ckan/controllers/api.py
+++ b/ckan/controllers/api.py
@@ -591,7 +591,7 @@ def group_autocomplete(self):
             limit = 20
         limit = min(50, limit)
 
-        query = model.Group.search_by_name(q, t)
+        query = model.Group.search_by_name_or_title(q, t)
         def convert_to_dict(user):
             out = {}
             for k in ['id', 'name', 'title']:
diff --git a/ckan/model/group.py b/ckan/model/group.py
index de2e4cd1a53..79eacf5768c 100644
--- a/ckan/model/group.py
+++ b/ckan/model/group.py
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 import vdm.sqlalchemy
 from ckan.model import extension, User
 from sqlalchemy.ext.associationproxy import association_proxy
+import sqlalchemy as sa
 
 __all__ = ['group_table', 'Group', 'package_revision_table',
            'Member', 'GroupRevision', 'MemberRevision',
@@ -181,12 +182,13 @@ def active_packages(self, load_eager=True, with_private=False):
         return query
 
     @classmethod
-    def search_by_name(cls, text_query, group_type=None):
+    def search_by_name_or_title(cls, text_query, group_type=None):
         text_query = text_query.strip().lower()
-        if not group_type:
-            q = Session.query(cls).filter(cls.name.contains(text_query))
-        else:
-            q = Session.query(cls).filter(cls.name.contains(text_query)).filter(cls.type==group_type)
+        q = Session.query(cls) \
+            .filter(sa.or_(cls.name.contains(text_query),
+                           cls.title.ilike('%' + text_query + '%')))
+        if group_type:
+            q = q.filter(cls.type==group_type)
         return q.order_by(cls.title)
 
     def as_dict(self, ref_package_by='name'):
diff --git a/ckan/tests/functional/api/test_util.py b/ckan/tests/functional/api/test_util.py
index f652022142b..fc24ef5258f 100644
--- a/ckan/tests/functional/api/test_util.py
+++ b/ckan/tests/functional/api/test_util.py
@@ -100,6 +100,22 @@ def test_tag_autocomplete(self):
         assert_equal(response.body, '{"ResultSet": {"Result": [{"Name": "russian"}]}}')
         assert_equal(response.header('Content-Type'), 'application/json;charset=utf-8')
 
+    def test_group_autocomplete(self):
+        url = url_for(controller='api', action='group_autocomplete', ver=2)
+        assert_equal(url, '/api/2/util/group/autocomplete')
+        response = self.app.get(
+            url=url,
+            params={
+               'q': u'dave',
+            },
+            status=200,
+        )
+        results = json.loads(response.body)
+        assert_equal(len(results), 1)
+        assert_equal(results[0]['name'], 'david')
+        assert_equal(results[0]['title'], 'Dave\'s books')
+        assert_equal(response.header('Content-Type'), 'application/json;charset=utf-8')
+
     def test_markdown(self):
         markdown = '''##Title'''
         response = self.app.get(
diff --git a/ckan/tests/models/test_group.py b/ckan/tests/models/test_group.py
index 92ccc5b4a48..703b63778f8 100644
--- a/ckan/tests/models/test_group.py
+++ b/ckan/tests/models/test_group.py
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+from nose.tools import assert_equal
+
 import ckan.model as model
 from ckan.tests import *
 
@@ -51,6 +53,20 @@ def test_2_add_packages(self):
         assert set(grp.active_packages().all()) == set((anna, war)), grp.active_packages().all()
         assert grp in anna.get_groups()
 
+    def test_3_search(self):
+        def search_results(query):
+            results = model.Group.search_by_name_or_title(query)
+            return set([group.name for group in results])
+        assert_equal(search_results('random'), set([]))
+        assert_equal(search_results('david'), set(['david']))
+        assert_equal(search_results('roger'), set(['roger']))
+        assert_equal(search_results('roger '), set(['roger']))
+        assert_equal(search_results('David'), set(['david']))
+        assert_equal(search_results('Dave'), set(['david']))
+        assert_equal(search_results('Dave\'s'), set(['david']))
+        assert_equal(search_results('Dave\'s books'), set(['david']))
+        assert_equal(search_results('Books'), set(['david', 'roger']))
+
 
 class TestGroupRevisions:
     @classmethod