diff --git a/homeassistant/components/group.py b/homeassistant/components/group.py
index aade1493c0b..c289cca42c5 100644
--- a/homeassistant/components/group.py
+++ b/homeassistant/components/group.py
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ def _conf_preprocess(value):
     return value
 
 _SINGLE_GROUP_CONFIG = vol.Schema(vol.All(_conf_preprocess, {
-    vol.Required(CONF_ENTITIES): cv.entity_ids,
+    vol.Optional(CONF_ENTITIES): vol.Any(None, cv.entity_ids),
     CONF_VIEW: bool,
     CONF_NAME: str,
     CONF_ICON: cv.icon,
@@ -145,7 +145,7 @@ def setup(hass, config):
     """Setup all groups found definded in the configuration."""
     for object_id, conf in config.get(DOMAIN, {}).items():
         name = conf.get(CONF_NAME, object_id)
-        entity_ids = conf[CONF_ENTITIES]
+        entity_ids = conf.get(CONF_ENTITIES) or []
         icon = conf.get(CONF_ICON)
         view = conf.get(CONF_VIEW)
 
diff --git a/tests/components/test_group.py b/tests/components/test_group.py
index 8526be9768d..5c23d6ca0cd 100644
--- a/tests/components/test_group.py
+++ b/tests/components/test_group.py
@@ -226,6 +226,7 @@ class TestComponentsGroup(unittest.TestCase):
                         'view': True,
                     },
                     'test_group': 'hello.world,sensor.happy',
+                    'empty_group': {'name': 'Empty Group', 'entities': None},
                 }
             })