diff --git a/seahub/api2/endpoints/admin/groups.py b/seahub/api2/endpoints/admin/groups.py
index d26785114f..0f9862992b 100644
--- a/seahub/api2/endpoints/admin/groups.py
+++ b/seahub/api2/endpoints/admin/groups.py
@@ -1,21 +1,20 @@
 import logging
 
-from django.utils.translation import ugettext as _
-
 from rest_framework.authentication import SessionAuthentication
 from rest_framework.permissions import IsAdminUser
 from rest_framework.response import Response
 from rest_framework.views import APIView
 from rest_framework import status
 
+from django.utils.translation import ugettext as _
+
 from seaserv import seafile_api, ccnet_api
 from pysearpc import SearpcError
 
 from seahub.base.accounts import User
 from seahub.utils import is_valid_username
 from seahub.utils.timeutils import timestamp_to_isoformat_timestr
-from seahub.group.utils import is_group_member, is_group_admin, \
-    is_group_owner
+from seahub.group.utils import is_group_member, is_group_admin
 
 from seahub.api2.utils import api_error
 from seahub.api2.throttling import UserRateThrottle
@@ -103,11 +102,6 @@ class AdminGroup(APIView):
             error_msg = 'new_owner %s invalid.' % new_owner
             return api_error(status.HTTP_400_BAD_REQUEST, error_msg)
 
-        old_owner = request.data.get('old_owner', None)
-        if not old_owner or not is_valid_username(old_owner):
-            error_msg = 'old_owner %s invalid.' % old_owner
-            return api_error(status.HTTP_400_BAD_REQUEST, error_msg)
-
         # recourse check
         group_id = int(group_id) # Checked by URL Conf
         group = ccnet_api.get_group(group_id)
@@ -123,16 +117,8 @@ class AdminGroup(APIView):
             error_msg = 'User %s not found.' % new_owner
             return api_error(status.HTTP_404_NOT_FOUND, error_msg)
 
+        old_owner = group.creator_name
         if new_owner == old_owner:
-            error_msg = 'new_owner %s is the same as old_owner %s.' % \
-                    (new_owner, old_owner)
-            return api_error(status.HTTP_400_BAD_REQUEST, error_msg)
-
-        if not is_group_owner(group_id, old_owner):
-            error_msg = _(u'User %s is not group owner.') % old_owner
-            return api_error(status.HTTP_400_BAD_REQUEST, error_msg)
-
-        if is_group_owner(group_id, new_owner):
             error_msg = _(u'User %s is already group owner.') % new_owner
             return api_error(status.HTTP_400_BAD_REQUEST, error_msg)
 
diff --git a/static/scripts/sysadmin-app/views/group.js b/static/scripts/sysadmin-app/views/group.js
index f787310824..37e1b59ba4 100644
--- a/static/scripts/sysadmin-app/views/group.js
+++ b/static/scripts/sysadmin-app/views/group.js
@@ -93,8 +93,7 @@ define([
                     dataType: 'json',
                     beforeSend: Common.prepareCSRFToken,
                     data: {
-                        'new_owner': email,
-                        'old_owner': cur_owner
+                        'new_owner': email
                     },
                     success: function() {
                         $.modal.close();
diff --git a/tests/api/endpoints/admin/test_groups.py b/tests/api/endpoints/admin/test_groups.py
index 686c9fa7e0..1eb4c3e2a4 100644
--- a/tests/api/endpoints/admin/test_groups.py
+++ b/tests/api/endpoints/admin/test_groups.py
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ class GroupTest(BaseTestCase):
         self.login_as(self.admin)
 
         url = reverse('api-v2.1-admin-group', args=[self.group_id])
-        data = 'old_owner=%s&new_owner=%s' % (self.user_name, self.admin_name)
+        data = 'new_owner=%s' % self.admin_name
         resp = self.client.put(url, data, 'application/x-www-form-urlencoded')
 
         self.assertEqual(200, resp.status_code)
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ class GroupTest(BaseTestCase):
         self.login_as(self.user)
 
         url = reverse('api-v2.1-admin-group', args=[self.group_id])
-        data = 'old_owner=%s&new_owner=%s' % (self.user_name, self.admin_name)
+        data = 'new_owner=%s' % self.admin_name
         resp = self.client.put(url, data, 'application/x-www-form-urlencoded')
 
         self.assertEqual(403, resp.status_code)
@@ -58,33 +58,15 @@ class GroupTest(BaseTestCase):
 
         self.login_as(self.admin)
 
-        # invalid old owner
-        url = reverse('api-v2.1-admin-group', args=[self.group_id])
-        data = 'invalid_old_owner=%s&new_owner=%s' % (self.user_name, self.admin_name)
-        resp = self.client.put(url, data, 'application/x-www-form-urlencoded')
-        self.assertEqual(400, resp.status_code)
-
         # invalid new owner
         url = reverse('api-v2.1-admin-group', args=[self.group_id])
-        data = 'old_owner=%s&invalid_new_owner=%s' % (self.user_name, self.admin_name)
-        resp = self.client.put(url, data, 'application/x-www-form-urlencoded')
-        self.assertEqual(400, resp.status_code)
-
-        # new_owner is the same as old_owner
-        url = reverse('api-v2.1-admin-group', args=[self.group_id])
-        data = 'old_owner=%s&new_owner=%s' % (self.user_name, self.user_name)
-        resp = self.client.put(url, data, 'application/x-www-form-urlencoded')
-        self.assertEqual(400, resp.status_code)
-
-        # old_owner is not group owner.
-        url = reverse('api-v2.1-admin-group', args=[self.group_id])
-        data = 'old_owner=%s&new_owner=%s' % (self.admin_name, self.admin_name)
+        data = 'invalid_new_owner=%s' % self.admin_name
         resp = self.client.put(url, data, 'application/x-www-form-urlencoded')
         self.assertEqual(400, resp.status_code)
 
         # new owner not exist
         url = reverse('api-v2.1-admin-group', args=[self.group_id])
-        data = 'old_owner=%s&new_owner=%s' % (self.user_name, 'invalid@user.com')
+        data = 'new_owner=invalid@email.com'
         resp = self.client.put(url, data, 'application/x-www-form-urlencoded')
         self.assertEqual(404, resp.status_code)