diff --git a/bookwyrm/templates/user/groups.html b/bookwyrm/templates/user/groups.html
index 1a5940728..6b64e4b79 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/templates/user/groups.html
+++ b/bookwyrm/templates/user/groups.html
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@
 
 {% block panel %}
 <section class="block">
-    <form name="create-group" method="post" action="{% url 'user-groups' request.user.username %}" class="box is-hidden" id="create_group">
+    <form name="create-group" method="post" action="{% url 'user-groups' 'empty_arg' %}" class="box is-hidden" id="create_group">
         <header class="columns">
             <h3 class="title column">{% trans "Create group" %}</h3>
             <div class="column is-narrow">
diff --git a/bookwyrm/views/group.py b/bookwyrm/views/group.py
index 694427606..18e13eb5d 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/views/group.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/views/group.py
@@ -69,10 +69,9 @@ class UserGroups(View):
     # pylint: disable=unused-argument
     def post(self, request, username):
         """create a user group"""
-        user = get_user_from_username(request.user, username)
         form = forms.GroupForm(request.POST)
         if not form.is_valid():
-            return redirect("user-groups")
+            return redirect(request.user.local_path + "groups")
         group = form.save()
         # add the creator as a group member
         models.GroupMember.objects.create(group=group, user=request.user)