diff --git a/res/values/strings.xml b/res/values/strings.xml
index 9e3997e09..1b14b92bd 100644
--- a/res/values/strings.xml
+++ b/res/values/strings.xml
@@ -284,7 +284,7 @@
     </string>
     <string name="SmsMessageRecord_received_updated_but_unknown_identity_information">Received updated but unknown identity information. Tap to validate identity.</string>
     <string name="SmsMessageRecord_secure_session_ended">Secure session ended.</string>
-    
+
     <!-- ThreadRecord -->
     <string name="ThreadRecord_left_the_group">Left the group...</string>
     <string name="TheadRecord_secure_session_ended">Secure session ended.</string>
diff --git a/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/GroupCreateActivity.java b/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/GroupCreateActivity.java
index 6263a7e7a..0303d0d82 100644
--- a/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/GroupCreateActivity.java
+++ b/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/GroupCreateActivity.java
@@ -670,7 +670,7 @@ public class GroupCreateActivity extends PassphraseRequiredSherlockFragmentActiv
           existingAvatarBmp = BitmapUtil.getCircleCroppedBitmap(
               BitmapFactory.decodeByteArray(existingAvatar, 0, existingAvatar.length));
         }
-        return (group.getOwner() != null && group.getOwner().equals(TextSecurePreferences.getLocalNumber(GroupCreateActivity.this)));
+        return true;
       }
       return null;
     }
diff --git a/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/database/DatabaseFactory.java b/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/database/DatabaseFactory.java
index 6bd9daacf..2b1527dd2 100644
--- a/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/database/DatabaseFactory.java
+++ b/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/database/DatabaseFactory.java
@@ -642,7 +642,7 @@ public class DatabaseFactory {
       }
 
       if (oldVersion < INTRODUCED_GROUP_DATABASE_VERSION) {
-        db.execSQL("CREATE TABLE groups (_id INTEGER PRIMARY KEY, group_id TEXT, owner TEXT, title TEXT, members TEXT, avatar BLOB, avatar_id INTEGER, avatar_key BLOB, avatar_content_type TEXT, avatar_relay TEXT, timestamp INTEGER, active INTEGER DEFAULT 1);");
+        db.execSQL("CREATE TABLE groups (_id INTEGER PRIMARY KEY, group_id TEXT, title TEXT, members TEXT, avatar BLOB, avatar_id INTEGER, avatar_key BLOB, avatar_content_type TEXT, avatar_relay TEXT, timestamp INTEGER, active INTEGER DEFAULT 1);");
         db.execSQL("CREATE UNIQUE INDEX IF NOT EXISTS group_id_index ON groups (GROUP_ID);");
         db.execSQL("ALTER TABLE push ADD COLUMN device_id INTEGER DEFAULT 1;");
         db.execSQL("ALTER TABLE sms ADD COLUMN address_device_id INTEGER DEFAULT 1;");
diff --git a/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/database/GroupDatabase.java b/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/database/GroupDatabase.java
index f843868b0..374d9a297 100644
--- a/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/database/GroupDatabase.java
+++ b/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/database/GroupDatabase.java
@@ -31,7 +31,6 @@ public class GroupDatabase extends Database {
   private static final String TABLE_NAME          = "groups";
   private static final String ID                  = "_id";
   private static final String GROUP_ID            = "group_id";
-  private static final String OWNER               = "owner";
   private static final String TITLE               = "title";
   private static final String MEMBERS             = "members";
   private static final String AVATAR              = "avatar";
@@ -46,7 +45,6 @@ public class GroupDatabase extends Database {
       "CREATE TABLE " + TABLE_NAME +
           " (" + ID + " INTEGER PRIMARY KEY, " +
           GROUP_ID + " TEXT, " +
-          OWNER + " TEXT, " +
           TITLE + " TEXT, " +
           MEMBERS + " TEXT, " +
           AVATAR + " BLOB, " +
@@ -112,7 +110,6 @@ public class GroupDatabase extends Database {
 
     ContentValues contentValues = new ContentValues();
     contentValues.put(GROUP_ID, GroupUtil.getEncodedId(groupId));
-    contentValues.put(OWNER, owner);
     contentValues.put(TITLE, title);
     contentValues.put(MEMBERS, Util.join(filteredMembers, ","));
 
@@ -129,7 +126,7 @@ public class GroupDatabase extends Database {
     databaseHelper.getWritableDatabase().insert(TABLE_NAME, null, contentValues);
   }
 
-  public void update(byte[] groupId, String source, String title, AttachmentPointer avatar) {
+  public void update(byte[] groupId, String title, AttachmentPointer avatar) {
     ContentValues contentValues = new ContentValues();
     if (title != null)  contentValues.put(TITLE, title);
 
@@ -140,8 +137,8 @@ public class GroupDatabase extends Database {
     }
 
     databaseHelper.getWritableDatabase().update(TABLE_NAME, contentValues,
-                                                GROUP_ID + " = ? AND " + OWNER + " = ?",
-                                                new String[] {GroupUtil.getEncodedId(groupId), source});
+                                                GROUP_ID + " = ?",
+                                                new String[] {GroupUtil.getEncodedId(groupId)});
   }
 
   public void updateTitle(byte[] groupId, String title) {
@@ -224,27 +221,6 @@ public class GroupDatabase extends Database {
     database.update(TABLE_NAME, values, GROUP_ID + " = ?", new String[] {GroupUtil.getEncodedId(id)});
   }
 
-  public String getOwner(byte[] id) {
-    Cursor cursor = null;
-
-    try {
-      SQLiteDatabase readableDatabase = databaseHelper.getReadableDatabase();
-      if (readableDatabase == null)
-        return null;
-
-      cursor = databaseHelper.getReadableDatabase().query(TABLE_NAME, new String[] {OWNER},
-                                                          GROUP_ID  + " = ?",
-                                                          new String[] {GroupUtil.getEncodedId(id)},
-                                                          null, null, null);
-      if (cursor != null && cursor.moveToFirst()) {
-        return cursor.getString(cursor.getColumnIndexOrThrow(OWNER));
-      }
-      return null;
-    } finally {
-      if (cursor != null)
-        cursor.close();
-    }
-  }
 
   public byte[] allocateGroupId() {
     try {
@@ -272,7 +248,6 @@ public class GroupDatabase extends Database {
 
       return new GroupRecord(cursor.getString(cursor.getColumnIndexOrThrow(GROUP_ID)),
                              cursor.getString(cursor.getColumnIndexOrThrow(TITLE)),
-                             cursor.getString(cursor.getColumnIndexOrThrow(OWNER)),
                              cursor.getString(cursor.getColumnIndexOrThrow(MEMBERS)),
                              cursor.getBlob(cursor.getColumnIndexOrThrow(AVATAR)),
                              cursor.getLong(cursor.getColumnIndexOrThrow(AVATAR_ID)),
@@ -292,7 +267,6 @@ public class GroupDatabase extends Database {
 
     private final String       id;
     private final String       title;
-    private final String       owner;
     private final List<String> members;
     private final byte[]       avatar;
     private final long         avatarId;
@@ -301,13 +275,12 @@ public class GroupDatabase extends Database {
     private final String       relay;
     private final boolean      active;
 
-    public GroupRecord(String id, String title, String owner, String members, byte[] avatar,
+    public GroupRecord(String id, String title, String members, byte[] avatar,
                        long avatarId, byte[] avatarKey, String avatarContentType,
                        String relay, boolean active)
     {
       this.id                = id;
       this.title             = title;
-      this.owner             = owner;
       this.members           = Util.split(members, ",");
       this.avatar            = avatar;
       this.avatarId          = avatarId;
@@ -329,10 +302,6 @@ public class GroupDatabase extends Database {
       return title;
     }
 
-    public String getOwner() {
-      return owner;
-    }
-
     public List<String> getMembers() {
       return members;
     }
diff --git a/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/service/GroupReceiver.java b/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/service/GroupReceiver.java
index fe35090f3..4f8d9c9fe 100644
--- a/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/service/GroupReceiver.java
+++ b/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/service/GroupReceiver.java
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ public class GroupReceiver {
     }
 
     if (group.hasName() || group.hasAvatar()) {
-      database.update(id, message.getSource(), group.getName(), group.getAvatar());
+      database.update(id, group.getName(), group.getAvatar());
     }
 
     if (group.hasName() && group.getName() != null && group.getName().equals(groupRecord.getTitle())) {