diff --git a/backend/src/enversTest/groovy/edu/internet2/tier/shibboleth/admin/ui/controller/EntityDescriptorControllerVersionEndpointsIntegrationTests.groovy b/backend/src/enversTest/groovy/edu/internet2/tier/shibboleth/admin/ui/controller/EntityDescriptorControllerVersionEndpointsIntegrationTests.groovy
index a8d5a68ab..802002fde 100644
--- a/backend/src/enversTest/groovy/edu/internet2/tier/shibboleth/admin/ui/controller/EntityDescriptorControllerVersionEndpointsIntegrationTests.groovy
+++ b/backend/src/enversTest/groovy/edu/internet2/tier/shibboleth/admin/ui/controller/EntityDescriptorControllerVersionEndpointsIntegrationTests.groovy
@@ -165,4 +165,4 @@ class EntityDescriptorControllerVersionEndpointsIntegrationTests extends Specifi
     private static resourceUriFor(String uriTemplate, String resourceId) {
         String.format(uriTemplate, resourceId)
     }
-}
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/backend/src/main/java/edu/internet2/tier/shibboleth/admin/ui/service/JPAEntityDescriptorServiceImpl.java b/backend/src/main/java/edu/internet2/tier/shibboleth/admin/ui/service/JPAEntityDescriptorServiceImpl.java
index 04b33bf76..86ab2839d 100644
--- a/backend/src/main/java/edu/internet2/tier/shibboleth/admin/ui/service/JPAEntityDescriptorServiceImpl.java
+++ b/backend/src/main/java/edu/internet2/tier/shibboleth/admin/ui/service/JPAEntityDescriptorServiceImpl.java
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 import edu.internet2.tier.shibboleth.admin.util.MDDCConstants;
 import edu.internet2.tier.shibboleth.admin.util.ModelRepresentationConversions;
 import lombok.extern.slf4j.Slf4j;
+import org.apache.commons.lang3.StringUtils;
 import org.springframework.beans.factory.annotation.Autowired;
 import org.springframework.stereotype.Service;
 
@@ -376,6 +377,9 @@ public EntityDescriptorRepresentation update(EntityDescriptorRepresentation edRe
         if (edRep.isServiceEnabled() && !userService.currentUserIsAdmin()) {
             throw new ForbiddenException("You do not have the permissions necessary to enable this service.");
         }
+        if (StringUtils.isEmpty(edRep.getIdOfOwner())) {
+            edRep.setIdOfOwner(StringUtils.isNotEmpty(existingEd.getIdOfOwner()) ? existingEd.getIdOfOwner() :  userService.getCurrentUserGroup().getOwnerId());
+        }
         if (!userService.isAuthorizedFor(existingEd)) {
             throw new ForbiddenException();
         }