diff --git a/accesscontroltool-bundle/src/main/java/biz/netcentric/cq/tools/actool/ims/request/CreateGroupStep.java b/accesscontroltool-bundle/src/main/java/biz/netcentric/cq/tools/actool/ims/request/CreateGroupStep.java
index 70242b2f..fead3fcc 100644
--- a/accesscontroltool-bundle/src/main/java/biz/netcentric/cq/tools/actool/ims/request/CreateGroupStep.java
+++ b/accesscontroltool-bundle/src/main/java/biz/netcentric/cq/tools/actool/ims/request/CreateGroupStep.java
@@ -1,9 +1,12 @@
 package biz.netcentric.cq.tools.actool.ims.request;
 
+import com.fasterxml.jackson.annotation.JsonInclude;
+import com.fasterxml.jackson.annotation.JsonInclude.Include;
 import com.fasterxml.jackson.annotation.JsonProperty;
 import com.fasterxml.jackson.annotation.JsonTypeName;
 
 @JsonTypeName("createUserGroup")
+@JsonInclude(Include.NON_NULL)
 public class CreateGroupStep implements Step {
 
     // this cannot be a constant, but still needs to be serialized as literal
@@ -13,6 +16,5 @@ public class CreateGroupStep implements Step {
     //@JsonProperty
     //String name; 
     @JsonProperty
-    public
-    String description;
+    public String description; // this may be null
 }
diff --git a/accesscontroltool-bundle/src/test/java/biz/netcentric/cq/tools/actool/ims/IMSUserManagementIT.java b/accesscontroltool-bundle/src/test/java/biz/netcentric/cq/tools/actool/ims/IMSUserManagementIT.java
index 365cfc15..6a86ffb0 100644
--- a/accesscontroltool-bundle/src/test/java/biz/netcentric/cq/tools/actool/ims/IMSUserManagementIT.java
+++ b/accesscontroltool-bundle/src/test/java/biz/netcentric/cq/tools/actool/ims/IMSUserManagementIT.java
@@ -47,6 +47,11 @@ public HttpClientBuilder newBuilder() {
         group.setAuthorizableId("testGroup");
         group.setDescription("my description");
         imsUserManagement.updateGroups(Collections.singleton(group));
+        
+        // test without description
+        AuthorizableConfigBean group2 = new AuthorizableConfigBean();
+        group2.setAuthorizableId("testGroup");
+        imsUserManagement.updateGroups(Collections.singleton(group2));
     }
 
     private static String getMandatoryEnvironmentVariable(String name) {