diff --git a/projects/cadcAccessControl-Server/src/ca/nrc/cadc/ac/server/ldap/LdapGroupDAO.java b/projects/cadcAccessControl-Server/src/ca/nrc/cadc/ac/server/ldap/LdapGroupDAO.java
index 2d1d31ab2d8c0428c44d8d0c9e1a62a17f974ba4..600299fea8404aa61a8f94c8372539a480d240d3 100755
--- a/projects/cadcAccessControl-Server/src/ca/nrc/cadc/ac/server/ldap/LdapGroupDAO.java
+++ b/projects/cadcAccessControl-Server/src/ca/nrc/cadc/ac/server/ldap/LdapGroupDAO.java
@@ -88,6 +88,7 @@ import ca.nrc.cadc.ac.Role;
 import ca.nrc.cadc.ac.User;
 import ca.nrc.cadc.ac.UserNotFoundException;
 import ca.nrc.cadc.net.TransientException;
+import ca.nrc.cadc.util.StringUtil;
 
 import com.unboundid.ldap.sdk.AddRequest;
 import com.unboundid.ldap.sdk.Attribute;
@@ -214,7 +215,7 @@ public class LdapGroupDAO<T extends Principal> extends LdapDAO
         attributes.add(new Attribute("objectClass", "groupofuniquenames"));
         attributes.add(new Attribute("cn", groupID));
         
-        if (description != null)
+        if (StringUtil.hasText(description))
         {
             attributes.add(new Attribute("description", description));
         }