diff --git a/res/values/strings.xml b/res/values/strings.xml
index f1626a8f90..a06b35c1cc 100644
--- a/res/values/strings.xml
+++ b/res/values/strings.xml
@@ -121,6 +121,9 @@
     <string name="GroupCreateActivity_group_name_hint">Group Name</string>
     <string name="GroupCreateActivity_actionbar_mms_title">New MMS Group</string>
     <string name="GroupCreateActivity_contacts_dont_support_push">You have selected a contact that doesn\'t support TextSecure groups, so this group will be MMS.</string>
+    <string name="GroupCreateActivity_contacts_mms_exception">An unexpected error happened that has made group creation fail.</string>
+    <string name="GroupCreateActivity_contacts_no_members">You need at least one person in your group!</string>
+    <string name="GroupCreateActivity_contacts_invalid_number">One of the members of your group has a number that can\'t be read correctly. Please fix or remove that contact and try again.</string>
 
     <!-- ImportFragment -->
     <string name="ImportFragment_import_system_sms_database">Import System SMS Database?</string>
diff --git a/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/GroupCreateActivity.java b/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/GroupCreateActivity.java
index de9a4b767b..7a5d086fc2 100644
--- a/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/GroupCreateActivity.java
+++ b/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/GroupCreateActivity.java
@@ -1,7 +1,9 @@
 package org.thoughtcrime.securesms;
 
 import android.app.Activity;
+import android.app.AlertDialog;
 import android.content.Context;
+import android.content.DialogInterface;
 import android.content.Intent;
 import android.graphics.Bitmap;
 import android.os.AsyncTask;
@@ -14,6 +16,7 @@ import android.widget.EditText;
 import android.widget.ImageView;
 import android.widget.ListView;
 import android.widget.TextView;
+import android.widget.Toast;
 
 import com.actionbarsherlock.view.Menu;
 import com.actionbarsherlock.view.MenuInflater;
@@ -40,7 +43,6 @@ import org.thoughtcrime.securesms.util.Util;
 import org.whispersystems.textsecure.crypto.MasterSecret;
 import org.whispersystems.textsecure.directory.Directory;
 import org.whispersystems.textsecure.directory.NotInDirectoryException;
-import org.whispersystems.textsecure.util.Base64;
 import org.whispersystems.textsecure.util.InvalidNumberException;
 
 import java.io.ByteArrayOutputStream;
@@ -234,71 +236,99 @@ public class GroupCreateActivity extends PassphraseRequiredSherlockFragmentActiv
         finish();
         return true;
       case R.id.menu_create_group:
-        if (whisperGroupUiEnabled()) {
-          findViewById(R.id.group_details_layout).setVisibility(View.GONE);
-          findViewById(R.id.creating_group_layout).setVisibility(View.VISIBLE);
-          findViewById(R.id.menu_create_group).setVisibility(View.GONE);
-          ((TextView)findViewById(R.id.creating_group_text)).setText("Creating " + groupName.getText().toString() + "...");
-          new AsyncTask<Void,Void,Void>() {
-
-            @Override
-            protected Void doInBackground(Void... voids) {
-              byte[] byteArray = null;
-              if (avatarBmp != null) {
-                ByteArrayOutputStream stream = new ByteArrayOutputStream();
-                avatarBmp.compress(Bitmap.CompressFormat.PNG, 100, stream);
-                byteArray = stream.toByteArray();
-              }
-              try {
-                handleCreatePushGroup(groupName.getText().toString(), byteArray, selectedContacts);
-              } catch (InvalidNumberException e) {
-                // TODO jake's gonna fill this in.
-                Log.w("GroupCreateActivity", e);
-              } catch (MmsException e) {
-                // TODO jake's gonna fill this in.
-                Log.w("GroupCreateActivity", e);
-              }
-              return null;
-            }
-
-            @Override
-            protected void onPostExecute(Void aVoid) {
-              super.onPostExecute(aVoid);
-              finish();
-            }
-
-            @Override
-            protected void onProgressUpdate(Void... values) {
-              super.onProgressUpdate(values);
-            }
-          }.execute();
-        } else {
-          new AsyncTask<Void,Void,Void>() {
-
-            @Override
-            protected Void doInBackground(Void... voids) {
-              handleCreateMmsGroup(selectedContacts);
-              return null;
-            }
-
-            @Override
-            protected void onPostExecute(Void aVoid) {
-              super.onPostExecute(aVoid);
-              finish();
-            }
-
-            @Override
-            protected void onProgressUpdate(Void... values) {
-              super.onProgressUpdate(values);
-            }
-          }.execute();
-        }
+        handleGroupCreate();
         return true;
     }
 
     return false;
   }
 
+  private void handleGroupCreate() {
+    if (selectedContacts.size() < 1) {
+      Toast.makeText(getApplicationContext(), R.string.GroupCreateActivity_contacts_no_members, Toast.LENGTH_SHORT);
+      return;
+    }
+    if (whisperGroupUiEnabled()) {
+      findViewById(R.id.group_details_layout).setVisibility(View.GONE);
+      findViewById(R.id.creating_group_layout).setVisibility(View.VISIBLE);
+      findViewById(R.id.menu_create_group).setVisibility(View.GONE);
+      ((TextView)findViewById(R.id.creating_group_text)).setText("Creating " + groupName.getText().toString() + "...");
+      new AsyncTask<Void,Void,Long>() {
+        private long RES_BAD_NUMBER = -2;
+        private long RES_MMS_EXCEPTION = -3;
+
+        @Override
+        protected Long doInBackground(Void... voids) {
+          byte[] byteArray = null;
+          if (avatarBmp != null) {
+            ByteArrayOutputStream stream = new ByteArrayOutputStream();
+            avatarBmp.compress(Bitmap.CompressFormat.PNG, 100, stream);
+            byteArray = stream.toByteArray();
+          }
+          try {
+            return Long.valueOf(handleCreatePushGroup(groupName.getText().toString(), byteArray, selectedContacts));
+          } catch (MmsException e) {
+            Log.w("GroupCreateActivity", e);
+            return Long.valueOf(RES_MMS_EXCEPTION);
+          } catch (InvalidNumberException e) {
+            Log.w("GroupCreateActivity", e);
+            return Long.valueOf(RES_BAD_NUMBER);
+          }
+        }
+
+        @Override
+        protected void onPostExecute(Long resultThread) {
+          super.onPostExecute(resultThread);
+          if (resultThread > -1) {
+            Intent intent = new Intent(GroupCreateActivity.this, ConversationActivity.class);
+            intent.addFlags(Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_CLEAR_TOP);
+            intent.putExtra(ConversationActivity.MASTER_SECRET_EXTRA, masterSecret);
+            intent.putExtra(ConversationActivity.THREAD_ID_EXTRA, resultThread.longValue());
+            intent.putExtra(ConversationActivity.DISTRIBUTION_TYPE_EXTRA, ThreadDatabase.DistributionTypes.DEFAULT);
+
+            ArrayList<Recipient> selectedContactsList = new ArrayList<Recipient>(selectedContacts.size());
+            for (Recipient recipient : selectedContacts) {
+              selectedContactsList.add(recipient);
+            }
+            intent.putExtra(ConversationActivity.RECIPIENTS_EXTRA, new Recipients(selectedContactsList));
+            startActivity(intent);
+            GroupCreateActivity.this.finish();
+          } else if (resultThread == RES_BAD_NUMBER) {
+            Toast.makeText(getApplicationContext(), R.string.GroupCreateActivity_contacts_invalid_number, Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();
+          } else if (resultThread == RES_MMS_EXCEPTION) {
+            Toast.makeText(getApplicationContext(), R.string.GroupCreateActivity_contacts_mms_exception, Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();
+            finish();
+          }
+        }
+
+        @Override
+        protected void onProgressUpdate(Void... values) {
+          super.onProgressUpdate(values);
+        }
+      }.execute();
+    } else {
+      new AsyncTask<Void,Void,Void>() {
+
+        @Override
+        protected Void doInBackground(Void... voids) {
+          handleCreateMmsGroup(selectedContacts);
+          return null;
+        }
+
+        @Override
+        protected void onPostExecute(Void aVoid) {
+          super.onPostExecute(aVoid);
+          finish();
+        }
+
+        @Override
+        protected void onProgressUpdate(Void... values) {
+          super.onProgressUpdate(values);
+        }
+      }.execute();
+    }
+  }
+
   private void syncAdapterWithSelectedContacts() {
     SelectedRecipientsAdapter adapter = (SelectedRecipientsAdapter)lv.getAdapter();
     adapter.clear();