diff --git a/cinder/api/v3/groups.py b/cinder/api/v3/groups.py
index 17d5f5fd50f..84ca342394e 100644
--- a/cinder/api/v3/groups.py
+++ b/cinder/api/v3/groups.py
@@ -207,7 +207,7 @@ class GroupsController(wsgi.Controller):
         if not uuidutils.is_uuid_like(group_type):
             req_group_type = group_types.get_group_type_by_name(context,
                                                                 group_type)
-            group_type = req_group_type.id
+            group_type = req_group_type['id']
         self._check_default_cgsnapshot_type(group_type)
         volume_types = group.get('volume_types')
         if not volume_types:
diff --git a/cinder/tests/unit/api/v3/test_groups.py b/cinder/tests/unit/api/v3/test_groups.py
index 6c607582110..3e69502854c 100644
--- a/cinder/tests/unit/api/v3/test_groups.py
+++ b/cinder/tests/unit/api/v3/test_groups.py
@@ -340,21 +340,24 @@ class GroupsAPITestCase(test.TestCase):
         self.assertEqual([fake.VOLUME_TYPE_ID, fake.VOLUME_TYPE2_ID],
                          res_dict['groups'][2]['volume_types'])
 
+    @ddt.data(False, True)
     @mock.patch(
         'cinder.api.openstack.wsgi.Controller.validate_name_and_description')
-    def test_create_group_json(self, mock_validate):
+    def test_create_group_json(self, use_group_type_name, mock_validate):
         # Create volume types and group type
         vol_type = 'test'
         vol_type_id = db.volume_type_create(
             self.ctxt,
             {'name': vol_type, 'extra_specs': {}}).get('id')
-        grp_type = 'grp_type'
-        grp_type_id = db.group_type_create(
+        grp_type_name = 'test_grp_type'
+        grp_type = db.group_type_create(
             self.ctxt,
-            {'name': grp_type, 'group_specs': {}}).get('id')
+            {'name': grp_type_name, 'group_specs': {}}).get('id')
+        if use_group_type_name:
+            grp_type = grp_type_name
         body = {"group": {"name": "group1",
                           "volume_types": [vol_type_id],
-                          "group_type": grp_type_id,
+                          "group_type": grp_type,
                           "description":
                           "Group 1", }}
         req = fakes.HTTPRequest.blank('/v3/%s/groups' % fake.PROJECT_ID,