diff --git a/polygerrit-ui/app/elements/admin/gr-group/gr-group.html b/polygerrit-ui/app/elements/admin/gr-group/gr-group.html
index 33866d3328..c2743b716e 100644
--- a/polygerrit-ui/app/elements/admin/gr-group/gr-group.html
+++ b/polygerrit-ui/app/elements/admin/gr-group/gr-group.html
@@ -87,7 +87,9 @@ limitations under the License.
             <fieldset>
               <span class="value">
                 <gr-autocomplete
+                    id="groupOwnerInput"
                     text="{{_groupConfig.owner}}"
+                    value="{{_groupConfigOwner}}"
                     query="[[_query]]"
                     disabled="[[_computeGroupDisabled(_groupOwner, _isAdmin)]]">
                 </gr-autocomplete>
diff --git a/polygerrit-ui/app/elements/admin/gr-group/gr-group.js b/polygerrit-ui/app/elements/admin/gr-group/gr-group.js
index d975675920..a5f875735e 100644
--- a/polygerrit-ui/app/elements/admin/gr-group/gr-group.js
+++ b/polygerrit-ui/app/elements/admin/gr-group/gr-group.js
@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@
       },
       /** @type {?} */
       _groupConfig: Object,
+      _groupConfigOwner: String,
       _groupName: Object,
       _groupOwner: {
         type: Boolean,
@@ -83,7 +84,7 @@
 
     observers: [
       '_handleConfigName(_groupConfig.name)',
-      '_handleConfigOwner(_groupConfig.owner)',
+      '_handleConfigOwner(_groupConfig.owner, _groupConfigOwner)',
       '_handleConfigDescription(_groupConfig.description)',
       '_handleConfigOptions(_groupConfig.options.visible_to_all)',
     ],
@@ -143,8 +144,12 @@
     },
 
     _handleSaveOwner() {
+      let owner = this._groupConfig.owner;
+      if (this._groupConfigOwner) {
+        owner = decodeURIComponent(this._groupConfigOwner);
+      }
       return this.$.restAPI.saveGroupOwner(this.groupId,
-          this._groupConfig.owner).then(config => {
+          owner).then(config => {
             this._owner = false;
           });
     },
@@ -202,7 +207,7 @@
               if (!response.hasOwnProperty(key)) { continue; }
               groups.push({
                 name: key,
-                value: response[key],
+                value: decodeURIComponent(response[key].id),
               });
             }
             return groups;
diff --git a/polygerrit-ui/app/elements/admin/gr-group/gr-group_test.html b/polygerrit-ui/app/elements/admin/gr-group/gr-group_test.html
index 16a62617a0..7789cd59ba 100644
--- a/polygerrit-ui/app/elements/admin/gr-group/gr-group_test.html
+++ b/polygerrit-ui/app/elements/admin/gr-group/gr-group_test.html
@@ -86,6 +86,7 @@ limitations under the License.
       element._groupConfig = {
         name: groupName,
       };
+      element._groupConfigOwner = 'testId';
       element._groupName = groupName;
       element._groupOwner = true;
 
@@ -105,6 +106,8 @@ limitations under the License.
 
         element.$.groupNameInput.text = groupName2;
 
+        element.$.groupOwnerInput.text = 'testId2';
+
         assert.isFalse(button.hasAttribute('disabled'));
         assert.isTrue(element.$.groupName.classList.contains('edited'));
 
@@ -114,6 +117,13 @@ limitations under the License.
           assert.equal(element._groupName, groupName2);
           done();
         });
+
+        element._handleSaveOwner().then(() => {
+          assert.isTrue(button.hasAttribute('disabled'));
+          assert.isFalse(element.$.Title.classList.contains('edited'));
+          assert.equal(element._groupConfigOwner, 'testId2');
+          done();
+        });
       });
     });