diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/components/group_selector_component.js b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/components/group_selector_component.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..597634a8138
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/components/group_selector_component.js
@@ -0,0 +1,52 @@
+Discourse.GroupSelectorComponent = Em.Component.extend({
+  placeholder: function(){
+    return I18n.t(this.get("placeholderKey"));
+  }.property("placeholderKey"),
+
+  didInsertElement: function() {
+    var self = this;
+    var selectedGroups;
+
+    self.$('input').autocomplete({
+      allowAny: false,
+      onChangeItems: function(items){
+        selectedGroups = items;
+        self.set("groupNames", items.join(","));
+      },
+      transformComplete: function(g) {
+        return g.name;
+      },
+      dataSource: function(term) {
+        return Discourse.Group.findAll({search: term, ignore_automatic: true}).then(function(groups){
+          if(!selectedGroups){
+            return groups;
+          }
+
+          return groups.filter(function(group){
+            return !selectedGroups.any(function(s){return s === group.name});
+          });
+        });
+      },
+      template: Discourse.GroupSelectorComponent.templateFunction()
+    });
+  }
+});
+
+// TODO autocomplete should become an ember component, then we don't need this
+Discourse.GroupSelectorComponent.reopenClass({
+  templateFunction: function() {
+      this.compiled = this.compiled || Handlebars.compile(
+        "<div class='autocomplete'>" +
+          "<ul>" +
+          "{{#each options}}" +
+            "<li>" +
+                "<a href=''>{{this.name}}</a>" +
+            "</li>" +
+          "{{/each}}" +
+          "</ul>" +
+          "</div>"
+      );
+
+      return this.compiled;
+  }
+});
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/controllers/invite-private.js.es6 b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/controllers/invite-private.js.es6
index 53d60e36c60..dfe32be7f6d 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/controllers/invite-private.js.es6
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/controllers/invite-private.js.es6
@@ -10,6 +10,10 @@
 export default Discourse.ObjectController.extend(Discourse.ModalFunctionality, {
   modalClass: 'invite',
 
+  isAdmin: function(){
+    return Discourse.User.currentProp("admin");
+  }.property(),
+
   onShow: function(){
     this.set('controllers.modal.modalClass', 'invite-modal');
     this.set('emailOrUsername', '');
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/controllers/invite.js.es6 b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/controllers/invite.js.es6
index 5e80c1fec28..aab9b5ea6fc 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/controllers/invite.js.es6
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/controllers/invite.js.es6
@@ -9,6 +9,10 @@
 **/
 export default Discourse.ObjectController.extend(Discourse.ModalFunctionality, {
 
+  isAdmin: function(){
+    return Discourse.User.currentProp("admin");
+  }.property(),
+
   /**
     Can we submit the form?
 
@@ -89,8 +93,10 @@ export default Discourse.ObjectController.extend(Discourse.ModalFunctionality, {
       if (this.get('disabled')) { return; }
 
       var self = this;
+      var groupNames = this.get("groupNames");
+
       this.setProperties({ saving: true, error: false });
-      this.get('model').createInvite(this.get('email')).then(function() {
+      this.get('model').createInvite(this.get('email'), groupNames).then(function() {
         self.setProperties({ saving: false, finished: true });
       }).catch(function() {
         self.setProperties({ saving: false, error: true });
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/lib/autocomplete.js b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/lib/autocomplete.js
index e3cf8627ead..c3222cf3a3d 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/lib/autocomplete.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/lib/autocomplete.js
@@ -244,7 +244,6 @@ $.fn.autocomplete = function(options) {
     }
   };
 
-
   // chain to allow multiples
   var oldClose = me.data("closeAutocomplete");
   me.data("closeAutocomplete", function() {
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/models/group.js b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/models/group.js
index 3ef5edc94df..669c8f698f8 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/models/group.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/models/group.js
@@ -72,8 +72,8 @@ Discourse.Group = Discourse.Model.extend({
 });
 
 Discourse.Group.reopenClass({
-  findAll: function(){
-    return Discourse.ajax("/admin/groups.json").then(function(groups){
+  findAll: function(opts){
+    return Discourse.ajax("/admin/groups.json", { data: opts }).then(function(groups){
       return groups.map(function(g) { return Discourse.Group.create(g); });
     });
   },
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/models/topic.js b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/models/topic.js
index 11bd7c21504..5d25f25baf5 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/models/topic.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/models/topic.js
@@ -217,10 +217,10 @@ Discourse.Topic = Discourse.Model.extend({
     @method createInvite
     @param {String} emailOrUsername The email or username of the user to be invited
   **/
-  createInvite: function(emailOrUsername) {
+  createInvite: function(emailOrUsername, groupNames) {
     return Discourse.ajax("/t/" + this.get('id') + "/invite", {
       type: 'POST',
-      data: { user: emailOrUsername }
+      data: { user: emailOrUsername, group_names: groupNames }
     });
   },
 
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/models/user.js b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/models/user.js
index 3e401639a6a..4f1d57c7f6d 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/models/user.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/models/user.js
@@ -375,10 +375,10 @@ Discourse.User = Discourse.Model.extend({
     @param {String} email The email address of the user to invite to the site
     @returns {Promise} the result of the server call
   **/
-  createInvite: function(email) {
+  createInvite: function(email, groupNames) {
     return Discourse.ajax('/invites', {
       type: 'POST',
-      data: {email: email}
+      data: {email: email, group_names: groupNames}
     });
   },
 
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/templates/components/group-selector.js.handlebars b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/templates/components/group-selector.js.handlebars
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..5bc39ab4676
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/templates/components/group-selector.js.handlebars
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+<input class='ember-text-field group-names' type="text" {{bind-attr placeholder="placeholder"}} name="groups">
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/templates/modal/invite.js.handlebars b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/templates/modal/invite.js.handlebars
index 07065975ceb..1d24dd64480 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/templates/modal/invite.js.handlebars
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/templates/modal/invite.js.handlebars
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-<div class="modal-body">
+<div class="modal-body invite-modal">
   {{#if error}}
     <div class="alert alert-error">
       <button class="close" data-dismiss="alert">×</button>
@@ -12,6 +12,11 @@
 
     <label>{{inviteInstructions}}</label>
     {{textField value=email placeholderKey="topic.invite_reply.email_placeholder"}}
+
+    {{#if isAdmin}}
+      <label>{{i18n topic.automatically_add_to_groups}}</label>
+      {{group-selector includeAuto=false groupNames=groupNames placeholderKey="topic.invite_private.group_name"}}
+    {{/if}}
   {{/if}}
 </div>
 <div class="modal-footer">
diff --git a/app/controllers/admin/groups_controller.rb b/app/controllers/admin/groups_controller.rb
index 8803314d001..6347a0a00f9 100644
--- a/app/controllers/admin/groups_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/admin/groups_controller.rb
@@ -1,6 +1,13 @@
 class Admin::GroupsController < Admin::AdminController
   def index
-    groups = Group.order(:name).to_a
+    groups = Group.order(:name)
+    if search = params[:search]
+      search = search.to_s
+      groups = groups.where("name ilike ?", "%#{search}%")
+    end
+    if params[:ignore_automatic].to_s == "true"
+      groups = groups.where(automatic: false)
+    end
     render_serialized(groups, BasicGroupSerializer)
   end
 
diff --git a/app/controllers/invites_controller.rb b/app/controllers/invites_controller.rb
index b929a75332c..78623595b62 100644
--- a/app/controllers/invites_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/invites_controller.rb
@@ -30,9 +30,11 @@ class InvitesController < ApplicationController
   def create
     params.require(:email)
 
-    guardian.ensure_can_invite_to_forum!
+    group_ids = Group.lookup_group_ids(params)
 
-    if Invite.invite_by_email(params[:email], current_user)
+    guardian.ensure_can_invite_to_forum!(group_ids)
+
+    if Invite.invite_by_email(params[:email], current_user, topic=nil,  group_ids)
       render json: success_json
     else
       render json: failed_json, status: 422
diff --git a/app/controllers/topics_controller.rb b/app/controllers/topics_controller.rb
index a2e2459760f..45828cca829 100644
--- a/app/controllers/topics_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/topics_controller.rb
@@ -203,11 +203,7 @@ class TopicsController < ApplicationController
 
     topic = Topic.find_by(id: params[:topic_id])
 
-    if group_ids = params[:group_ids]
-      group_ids = group_ids.split(",").map(&:to_i)
-      group_ids = Group.where(id: group_ids).pluck(:id)
-    end
-
+    group_ids = Group.lookup_group_ids(params)
     guardian.ensure_can_invite_to!(topic,group_ids)
 
     if topic.invite(current_user, username_or_email, group_ids)
diff --git a/app/models/group.rb b/app/models/group.rb
index 521d4686331..8b920e13345 100644
--- a/app/models/group.rb
+++ b/app/models/group.rb
@@ -164,6 +164,24 @@ class Group < ActiveRecord::Base
     end
   end
 
+  def self.lookup_group_ids(opts)
+    if group_ids = opts[:group_ids]
+      group_ids = group_ids.split(",").map(&:to_i)
+      group_ids = Group.where(id: group_ids).pluck(:id)
+    end
+
+    group_ids ||= []
+
+    if group_names = opts[:group_names]
+      group_names = group_names.split(",")
+      if group_names.present?
+        group_ids += Group.where(name: group_names).pluck(:id)
+      end
+    end
+
+    group_ids
+  end
+
 
   def self.user_trust_level_change!(user_id, trust_level)
     name = "trust_level_#{trust_level}".to_sym
diff --git a/config/locales/client.en.yml b/config/locales/client.en.yml
index 343bbc3b5d3..1baf4b00a44 100644
--- a/config/locales/client.en.yml
+++ b/config/locales/client.en.yml
@@ -834,6 +834,7 @@ en:
         success_message: 'You successfully flagged this topic.'
 
       inviting: "Inviting..."
+      automatically_add_to_groups: "Upon registration, automatically add user to groups. (optional, admin only)"
 
       invite_private:
         title: 'Invite to Private Message'
@@ -842,6 +843,7 @@ en:
         action: "Invite"
         success: "Thanks! We've invited that user to participate in this private message."
         error: "Sorry, there was an error inviting that user."
+        group_name: "group name"
 
       invite_reply:
         title: 'Invite'
diff --git a/lib/guardian.rb b/lib/guardian.rb
index a12d7d56a08..150f7a2b291 100644
--- a/lib/guardian.rb
+++ b/lib/guardian.rb
@@ -187,13 +187,14 @@ class Guardian
     is_me?(user)
   end
 
-  def can_invite_to_forum?
+  def can_invite_to_forum?(groups=nil)
     authenticated? &&
     !SiteSetting.enable_sso &&
     (
       (!SiteSetting.must_approve_users? && @user.has_trust_level?(:regular)) ||
       is_staff?
-    )
+    ) &&
+    (groups.blank? || is_admin?)
   end
 
   def can_invite_to?(object, group_ids=nil)
diff --git a/spec/controllers/invites_controller_spec.rb b/spec/controllers/invites_controller_spec.rb
index 2bc0d402636..c29b4269823 100644
--- a/spec/controllers/invites_controller_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/controllers/invites_controller_spec.rb
@@ -45,21 +45,20 @@ describe InvitesController do
     end
 
     context 'while logged in' do
-      let!(:user) { log_in }
       let(:email) { 'jake@adventuretime.ooo' }
 
       it "fails if you can't invite to the forum" do
-        Guardian.any_instance.stubs(:can_invite_to_forum?).returns(false)
-        Invite.expects(:invite_by_email).never
+        log_in
         post :create, email: email
         response.should_not be_success
       end
 
-      it "delegates to Invite#invite_by_email and returns success if you can invite" do
-        Guardian.any_instance.stubs(:can_invite_to_forum?).returns(true)
-        Invite.expects(:invite_by_email).with(email, user).returns(Invite.new)
-        post :create, email: email
+      it "allows admins to invite to groups" do
+        group = Fabricate(:group)
+        log_in(:admin)
+        post :create, email: email, group_names: group.name
         response.should be_success
+        Invite.find_by(email: email).invited_groups.count.should == 1
       end
     end