diff --git a/dspace-api/src/main/java/org/dspace/eperson/Group.java b/dspace-api/src/main/java/org/dspace/eperson/Group.java
index 9fb3baa0ae..0f35c37c3f 100644
--- a/dspace-api/src/main/java/org/dspace/eperson/Group.java
+++ b/dspace-api/src/main/java/org/dspace/eperson/Group.java
@@ -26,7 +26,6 @@ import java.util.List;
  * Class representing a group of e-people.
  * 
  * @author David Stuve
- * @version $Revision$
  */
 @Entity
 @Table(name = "epersongroup" )
@@ -45,6 +44,10 @@ public class Group extends DSpaceObject implements DSpaceObjectLegacySupport
     @Column(name="eperson_group_id", insertable = false, updatable = false)
     private Integer legacyId;
 
+    /** This Group may not be deleted or renamed. */
+    @Column
+    private Boolean permanent = false;
+
     /** lists of epeople and groups in the group */
     @ManyToMany(fetch = FetchType.LAZY)
     @JoinTable(
@@ -171,11 +174,7 @@ public class Group extends DSpaceObject implements DSpaceObjectLegacySupport
              return false;
          }
          final Group other = (Group) obj;
-         if (!this.getID().equals(other.getID()))
-         {
-             return false;
-         }
-         return true;
+         return this.getID().equals(other.getID());
      }
 
      @Override
@@ -203,7 +202,9 @@ public class Group extends DSpaceObject implements DSpaceObjectLegacySupport
 
     public void setName(Context context, String name) throws SQLException
     {
-        getGroupService().setMetadataSingleValue(context, this, MetadataSchema.DC_SCHEMA, "title", null, null, name);
+        if (!permanent)
+            getGroupService().setMetadataSingleValue(context, this,
+                    MetadataSchema.DC_SCHEMA, "title", null, null, name);
     }
 
     public boolean isGroupsChanged() {
@@ -230,4 +231,27 @@ public class Group extends DSpaceObject implements DSpaceObjectLegacySupport
         }
         return groupService;
     }
+
+    /**
+     * May this Group be renamed or deleted?  (The content of any group may be
+     * changed.)
+     *
+     * @return true if this Group may not be renamed or deleted.
+     */
+    public Boolean isPermanent()
+    {
+        return permanent;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * May this Group be renamed or deleted?  (The content of any group may be
+     * changed.)
+     *
+     * @param permanence true if this group may not be renamed or deleted.
+     */
+    void setPermanent(boolean permanence)
+    {
+        permanent = permanence;
+        setModified();
+    }
 }
diff --git a/dspace-api/src/main/java/org/dspace/eperson/GroupServiceImpl.java b/dspace-api/src/main/java/org/dspace/eperson/GroupServiceImpl.java
index e4d124e107..4c4d2804a1 100644
--- a/dspace-api/src/main/java/org/dspace/eperson/GroupServiceImpl.java
+++ b/dspace-api/src/main/java/org/dspace/eperson/GroupServiceImpl.java
@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@
 package org.dspace.eperson;
 
 import org.apache.commons.lang3.StringUtils;
-import org.apache.log4j.Logger;
 import org.dspace.authorize.AuthorizeConfiguration;
 import org.dspace.authorize.AuthorizeException;
 import org.dspace.authorize.service.AuthorizeService;
@@ -29,10 +28,12 @@ import org.dspace.eperson.service.GroupService;
 import org.dspace.event.Event;
 import org.springframework.beans.factory.annotation.Autowired;
 
-import java.nio.ByteBuffer;
 import java.sql.SQLException;
 import java.util.*;
 
+import org.slf4j.Logger;
+import org.slf4j.LoggerFactory;
+
 /**
  * Service implementation for the Group object.
  * This class is responsible for all business logic calls for the Group object and is autowired by spring.
@@ -42,7 +43,7 @@ import java.util.*;
  */
 public class GroupServiceImpl extends DSpaceObjectServiceImpl<Group> implements GroupService
 {
-    private static final Logger log = Logger.getLogger(GroupServiceImpl.class);
+    private static final Logger log = LoggerFactory.getLogger(GroupServiceImpl.class);
 
     @Autowired(required = true)
     protected GroupDAO groupDAO;
@@ -89,7 +90,7 @@ public class GroupServiceImpl extends DSpaceObjectServiceImpl<Group> implements
 
     @Override
     public void setName(Context context, Group group, String name) throws SQLException {
-        setMetadataSingleValue(context, group, MetadataSchema.DC_SCHEMA, "title", null, null, name);
+        group.setName(context, name);
     }
 
     @Override
@@ -161,7 +162,7 @@ public class GroupServiceImpl extends DSpaceObjectServiceImpl<Group> implements
 
     @Override
     public List<Group> allMemberGroups(Context context, EPerson ePerson) throws SQLException {
-        Set<Group> groups = new HashSet<Group>();
+        Set<Group> groups = new HashSet<>();
 
         if (ePerson != null)
         {
@@ -206,7 +207,7 @@ public class GroupServiceImpl extends DSpaceObjectServiceImpl<Group> implements
 
         // Get all groups which are a member of this group
         List<Group2GroupCache> group2GroupCaches = group2GroupCacheDAO.findByParent(c, g);
-        Set<Group> groups = new HashSet<Group>();
+        Set<Group> groups = new HashSet<>();
         for (Group2GroupCache group2GroupCache : group2GroupCaches) {
             groups.add(group2GroupCache.getChild());
         }
@@ -292,7 +293,14 @@ public class GroupServiceImpl extends DSpaceObjectServiceImpl<Group> implements
 
     @Override
     public void delete(Context context, Group group) throws SQLException {
-        context.addEvent(new Event(Event.DELETE, Constants.GROUP, group.getID(), group.getName(), getIdentifiers(context, group)));
+        if (group.isPermanent())
+        {
+            log.error("Attempt to delete permanent Group $", group.getName());
+            throw new SQLException("Attempt to delete a permanent Group");
+        }
+
+        context.addEvent(new Event(Event.DELETE, Constants.GROUP, group.getID(),
+                group.getName(), getIdentifiers(context, group)));
 
         //Remove the supervised group from any workspace items linked to us.
         group.getSupervisedItems().clear();
@@ -335,7 +343,7 @@ public class GroupServiceImpl extends DSpaceObjectServiceImpl<Group> implements
     public boolean isEmpty(Group group)
     {
         // the only fast check available is on epeople...
-        boolean hasMembers = (group.getMembers().size() != 0);
+        boolean hasMembers = (!group.getMembers().isEmpty());
 
         if (hasMembers)
         {
@@ -363,6 +371,7 @@ public class GroupServiceImpl extends DSpaceObjectServiceImpl<Group> implements
         {
             anonymousGroup = groupService.create(context);
             anonymousGroup.setName(context, Group.ANONYMOUS);
+            anonymousGroup.setPermanent(true);
             groupService.update(context, anonymousGroup);
         }
 
@@ -373,6 +382,7 @@ public class GroupServiceImpl extends DSpaceObjectServiceImpl<Group> implements
         {
             adminGroup = groupService.create(context);
             adminGroup.setName(context, Group.ADMIN);
+            adminGroup.setPermanent(true);
             groupService.update(context, adminGroup);
         }
     }
diff --git a/dspace-api/src/main/java/org/dspace/eperson/service/GroupService.java b/dspace-api/src/main/java/org/dspace/eperson/service/GroupService.java
index 61806d6b87..c5186f8cef 100644
--- a/dspace-api/src/main/java/org/dspace/eperson/service/GroupService.java
+++ b/dspace-api/src/main/java/org/dspace/eperson/service/GroupService.java
@@ -198,8 +198,10 @@ public interface GroupService extends DSpaceObjectService<Group>, DSpaceObjectLe
     public boolean isEmpty(Group group);
 
     /**
-     * Initializes the group names for anymous & administrator
-     * @param context the dspace context
+     * Initializes the group names for anonymous & administrator, and marks them
+     * "permanent".
+     *
+     * @param context the DSpace context
      * @throws SQLException database exception
      * @throws AuthorizeException
      */