diff --git a/marathon/models/base.py b/marathon/models/base.py
index ecc8030..db77076 100644
--- a/marathon/models/base.py
+++ b/marathon/models/base.py
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ def __repr__(self):
     def __eq__(self, other):
         try:
             return self.__dict__ == other.__dict__
-        except:
+        except Exception:
             return False
 
     def __hash__(self):
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ def __repr__(self):
     def __eq__(self, other):
         try:
             return self.__dict__ == other.__dict__
-        except:
+        except Exception:
             return False
 
     def __hash__(self):
diff --git a/marathon/models/group.py b/marathon/models/group.py
index c7c0339..bb4f6bc 100644
--- a/marathon/models/group.py
+++ b/marathon/models/group.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-from .base import MarathonResource, assert_valid_id
+from .base import MarathonResource
 from .app import MarathonApp
 
 
@@ -36,5 +36,5 @@ def __init__(self, apps=None, dependencies=None,
         #     p if isinstance(p, MarathonPod) else MarathonPod().from_json(p)
         #     for p in (pods or [])
         # ]
-        self.id = assert_valid_id(id)
+        self.id = id
         self.version = version
diff --git a/tests/test_model_group.py b/tests/test_model_group.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..fb84c04
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_model_group.py
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+# encoding: utf-8
+
+from marathon.models.group import MarathonGroup
+import unittest
+
+
+class MarathonGroupTest(unittest.TestCase):
+
+    def test_from_json_parses_root_group(self):
+        data = {
+                   "id": "/",
+                   "groups": [
+                       {"id": "/foo", "apps": []},
+                       {"id": "/bla", "apps": []},
+                   ],
+                   "apps": []
+        }
+        group = MarathonGroup().from_json(data)
+        self.assertEqual("/", group.id)