diff --git a/app/controllers/api/base_controller/authentication.rb b/app/controllers/api/base_controller/authentication.rb
index ff239e801a..609932a4f5 100644
--- a/app/controllers/api/base_controller/authentication.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/api/base_controller/authentication.rb
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ def userid_to_userobj(userid)
       def authorize_user_group(user_obj)
         group_name = request.headers[HttpHeaders::MIQ_GROUP]
         if group_name.present?
+          group_name = CGI.unescape(group_name)
           group_obj = user_obj.miq_groups.find_by(:description => group_name)
           raise AuthenticationError, "Invalid Authorization Group #{group_name} specified" if group_obj.nil?
           user_obj.current_group_by_description = group_name