diff --git a/ckan/lib/navl/dictization_functions.py b/ckan/lib/navl/dictization_functions.py
index 4e8fb8031f5..30f10afb3a7 100644
--- a/ckan/lib/navl/dictization_functions.py
+++ b/ckan/lib/navl/dictization_functions.py
@@ -167,7 +167,7 @@ def convert(converter, key, converted_data, errors, context):
         return
     except TypeError, e:
         ## hack to make sure the type error was caused by the wrong
-        ## number of arguements given.
+        ## number of arguments given.
         if not converter.__name__ in str(e):
             raise
     except Invalid, e:
@@ -182,7 +182,7 @@ def convert(converter, key, converted_data, errors, context):
         return
     except TypeError, e:
         ## hack to make sure the type error was caused by the wrong
-        ## number of arguements given.
+        ## number of arguments given.
         if not converter.__name__ in str(e):
             raise
 
diff --git a/ckan/logic/schema.py b/ckan/logic/schema.py
index 44693429694..9ec6244c3be 100644
--- a/ckan/logic/schema.py
+++ b/ckan/logic/schema.py
@@ -19,7 +19,8 @@
                                    tag_name_validator,
                                    tag_string_convert,
                                    duplicate_extras_key,
-                                   ignore_not_admin,
+                                   ignore_not_package_admin,
+                                   ignore_not_group_admin,
                                    no_http,
                                    tag_not_uppercase,
                                    user_name_validator,
@@ -95,7 +96,7 @@ def default_package_schema():
         'notes': [ignore_missing, unicode],
         'url': [ignore_missing, unicode],#, URL(add_http=False)],
         'version': [ignore_missing, unicode, package_version_validator],
-        'state': [ignore_not_admin, ignore_missing],
+        'state': [ignore_not_package_admin, ignore_missing],
         '__extras': [ignore],
         '__junk': [empty],
         'resources': default_resource_schema(),
@@ -158,7 +159,7 @@ def default_group_schema():
         'name': [not_empty, unicode, name_validator, group_name_validator],
         'title': [ignore_missing, unicode],
         'description': [ignore_missing, unicode],
-        'state': [ignore],
+        'state': [ignore_not_group_admin, ignore_missing],
         'created': [ignore],
         'extras': default_extras_schema(),
         '__extras': [ignore],
diff --git a/ckan/logic/validators.py b/ckan/logic/validators.py
index 9635563167a..08aba5fdf8a 100644
--- a/ckan/logic/validators.py
+++ b/ckan/logic/validators.py
@@ -213,6 +213,11 @@ def tag_string_convert(key, data, errors, context):
         tag_name_validator(tag, context)
 
 def ignore_not_admin(key, data, errors, context):
+    # Deprecated in favour of ignore_not_package_admin
+    return ignore_not_package_admin(key, data, errors, context)
+
+def ignore_not_package_admin(key, data, errors, context):
+    '''Ignore if the user is not allowed to administer the package specified.'''
 
     model = context['model']
     user = context.get('user')
@@ -234,6 +239,29 @@ def ignore_not_admin(key, data, errors, context):
 
     data.pop(key)
 
+def ignore_not_group_admin(key, data, errors, context):
+    '''Ignore if the user is not allowed to administer for the group specified.'''
+
+    model = context['model']
+    user = context.get('user')
+
+    if user and Authorizer.is_sysadmin(user):
+        return
+
+    authorized = False
+    group = context.get('group')
+    if group:
+        try:
+            check_access('group_change_state',context)
+            authorized = True
+        except NotAuthorized:
+            authorized = False
+
+    if (user and group and authorized):
+        return
+
+    data.pop(key)
+
 def user_name_validator(key, data, errors, context):
     model = context["model"]
     session = context["session"]
diff --git a/ckan/templates/group/read.html b/ckan/templates/group/read.html
index 7bb0f85a378..cc52728e4f5 100644
--- a/ckan/templates/group/read.html
+++ b/ckan/templates/group/read.html
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ <h3>Administrators</h3>
   </py:match>
 
   <py:match path="content">
+    <h3 py:if="c.group['state'] != 'active'">State: ${c.group['state']}</h3>
     <div class="notes" py:if="str(c.group_description_formatted).strip()">
       ${c.group_description_formatted}
     </div>
diff --git a/ckan/tests/functional/test_group.py b/ckan/tests/functional/test_group.py
index 69679e5227c..d08944c8e1c 100644
--- a/ckan/tests/functional/test_group.py
+++ b/ckan/tests/functional/test_group.py
@@ -242,6 +242,30 @@ def test_edit_non_existent(self):
         offset = url_for(controller='group', action='edit', id=name)
         res = self.app.get(offset, status=404)
 
+    def test_delete(self):
+        group_name = 'deletetest'
+        CreateTestData.create_groups([{'name': group_name,
+                                       'packages': [self.packagename]}],
+                                     admin_user_name='russianfan')
+                                       
+        group = model.Group.by_name(group_name)
+        offset = url_for(controller='group', action='edit', id=group_name)
+        res = self.app.get(offset, status=200, extra_environ={'REMOTE_USER': 'russianfan'})
+        main_res = self.main_div(res)
+        assert 'Edit: %s' % group.title in main_res, main_res
+        assert 'value="active" selected' in main_res, main_res
+        
+        # delete
+        form = res.forms['group-edit']
+        form['state'] = 'deleted'
+        res = form.submit('save', status=302, extra_environ={'REMOTE_USER': 'russianfan'})
+
+        group = model.Group.by_name(group_name)
+        assert_equal(group.state, 'deleted')
+        res = self.app.get(offset, status=302)
+        res = res.follow()
+        assert res.request.url.startswith('/user/login'), res.request.url
+
 class TestNew(FunctionalTestCase):
     groupname = u'david'