diff --git a/net/common/rpc-service.c b/net/common/rpc-service.c
index af399a7..5c725b6 100644
--- a/net/common/rpc-service.c
+++ b/net/common/rpc-service.c
@@ -276,6 +276,10 @@ ccnet_start_rpc(CcnetSession *session)
                                      ccnet_rpc_set_group_creator,
                                      "set_group_creator",
                                      searpc_signature_int__int_string());
+    searpc_server_register_function ("ccnet-threaded-rpcserver",
+                                     ccnet_rpc_search_groups,
+                                     "search_groups",
+                                     searpc_signature_objlist__string_int_int());
 
     searpc_server_register_function ("ccnet-threaded-rpcserver",
                                      ccnet_rpc_create_org,
@@ -776,6 +780,21 @@ ccnet_rpc_search_emailusers (const char *source,
     return emailusers;
 }
 
+GList*
+ccnet_rpc_search_groups (const char *group_patt,
+                         int start, int limit,
+                         GError **error)
+{
+    CcnetGroupManager *group_mgr =
+        ((CcnetServerSession *)session)->group_mgr;
+    GList *groups = NULL;
+
+    groups = ccnet_group_manager_search_groups (group_mgr,
+                                                group_patt,
+                                                start, limit);
+    return groups;
+}
+
 GList*
 ccnet_rpc_search_ldapusers (const char *keyword,
                             int start, int limit,
diff --git a/net/common/rpc-service.h b/net/common/rpc-service.h
index a2d10cc..88cf92e 100644
--- a/net/common/rpc-service.h
+++ b/net/common/rpc-service.h
@@ -114,6 +114,11 @@ ccnet_rpc_search_emailusers (const char *source,
                              const char *email_patt,
                              int start, int limit,
                              GError **error);
+GList*
+ccnet_rpc_search_groups (const char *group_patt,
+                         int start, int limit,
+                         GError **error);
+
 
 GList*
 ccnet_rpc_search_ldapusers (const char *keyword,
diff --git a/net/server/group-mgr.c b/net/server/group-mgr.c
index 5e1fbc3..42decae 100644
--- a/net/server/group-mgr.c
+++ b/net/server/group-mgr.c
@@ -783,3 +783,61 @@ ccnet_group_manager_set_group_creator (CcnetGroupManager *mgr,
     
 }
 
+GList *
+ccnet_group_manager_search_groups (CcnetGroupManager *mgr,
+                                   const char *keyword,
+                                   int start, int limit)
+{
+    CcnetDB *db = mgr->priv->db;
+    GList *ret = NULL;
+    int rc;
+    char *db_patt = g_strdup_printf ("%%%s%%", keyword);
+
+    if (ccnet_db_type(db) == CCNET_DB_TYPE_PGSQL) {
+        if (start == -1 && limit == -1)
+            rc = ccnet_db_statement_foreach_row (db,
+                                                 "SELECT group_id, group_name, "
+                                                 "creator_name, timestamp "
+                                                 "FROM \"Group\" WHERE group_name LIKE ?",
+                                                 get_all_ccnetgroups_cb, &ret,
+                                                 1, "string", db_patt);
+
+        else
+            rc = ccnet_db_statement_foreach_row (db,
+                                                 "SELECT group_id, group_name, "
+                                                 "creator_name, timestamp "
+                                                 "FROM \"Group\" WHERE group_name LIKE ? "
+                                                 "LIMIT ? OFFSET ?",
+                                                 get_all_ccnetgroups_cb, &ret,
+                                                 3, "string", db_patt,
+                                                 "int", limit, "int", start);
+    } else {
+        if (start == -1 && limit == -1)
+            rc = ccnet_db_statement_foreach_row (db,
+                                                 "SELECT group_id, group_name, "
+                                                 "creator_name, timestamp "
+                                                 "FROM `Group` WHERE group_name LIKE ?",
+                                                 get_all_ccnetgroups_cb, &ret,
+                                                 1, "string", db_patt);
+        else
+            rc = ccnet_db_statement_foreach_row (db,
+                                                 "SELECT group_id, group_name, "
+                                                 "creator_name, timestamp "
+                                                 "FROM `Group` WHERE group_name LIKE ? "
+                                                 "LIMIT ? OFFSET ?",
+                                                 get_all_ccnetgroups_cb, &ret,
+                                                 3, "string", db_patt,
+                                                 "int", limit, "int", start);
+    }
+    g_free (db_patt);
+
+    if (rc < 0) {
+        while (ret != NULL) {
+            g_object_unref (ret->data);
+            ret = g_list_delete_link (ret, ret);
+        }
+        return NULL;
+    }
+
+    return g_list_reverse (ret);
+}
diff --git a/net/server/group-mgr.h b/net/server/group-mgr.h
index 5500b3e..6599322 100644
--- a/net/server/group-mgr.h
+++ b/net/server/group-mgr.h
@@ -107,5 +107,9 @@ ccnet_group_manager_set_group_creator (CcnetGroupManager *mgr,
                                        int group_id,
                                        const char *user_name);
 
+GList*
+ccnet_group_manager_search_groups (CcnetGroupManager *mgr,
+                                   const char *keyword,
+                                   int start, int limit);
 #endif /* GROUP_MGR_H */
 
diff --git a/python/ccnet/rpc.py b/python/ccnet/rpc.py
index 2357053..e2d3a22 100644
--- a/python/ccnet/rpc.py
+++ b/python/ccnet/rpc.py
@@ -327,6 +327,10 @@ class CcnetThreadedRpcClient(RpcClientBase):
     def set_group_creator(self, group_id, user_name):
         pass
 
+    @searpc_func("objlist", ["string", "int", "int"])
+    def search_groups(self, group_patt, start, limit):
+        pass
+
     @searpc_func("int", ["string", "string", "string"])
     def create_org(self, org_name, url_prefix, creator):
         pass