diff --git a/include/zmq.h b/include/zmq.h
index 8c39fd07..c3c2d0c8 100644
--- a/include/zmq.h
+++ b/include/zmq.h
@@ -397,7 +397,7 @@ ZMQ_EXPORT const char *zmq_msg_gets (const zmq_msg_t *msg_,
 #define ZMQ_GSSAPI 3
 
 /*  RADIO-DISH protocol                                                       */
-#define ZMQ_GROUP_MAX_LENGTH 15
+#define ZMQ_GROUP_MAX_LENGTH 255
 
 /*  Deprecated options and aliases                                            */
 #define ZMQ_IDENTITY ZMQ_ROUTING_ID
diff --git a/src/dish.cpp b/src/dish.cpp
index f3aca49c..d8a4befc 100644
--- a/src/dish.cpp
+++ b/src/dish.cpp
@@ -233,7 +233,6 @@ void zmq::dish_t::send_subscriptions (pipe_t *pipe_)
 
         //  Send it to the pipe.
         pipe_->write (&msg);
-        msg.close ();
     }
 
     pipe_->flush ();
diff --git a/src/dist.cpp b/src/dist.cpp
index 6ac27045..7795bb36 100644
--- a/src/dist.cpp
+++ b/src/dist.cpp
@@ -178,9 +178,7 @@ void zmq::dist_t::distribute (msg_t *msg_)
                 ++i;
             }
         }
-        int rc = msg_->close ();
-        errno_assert (rc == 0);
-        rc = msg_->init ();
+        int rc = msg_->init ();
         errno_assert (rc == 0);
         return;
     }
diff --git a/src/msg.cpp b/src/msg.cpp
index 612a18b2..0871fbd2 100644
--- a/src/msg.cpp
+++ b/src/msg.cpp
@@ -79,7 +79,8 @@ int zmq::msg_t::init ()
     _u.vsm.type = type_vsm;
     _u.vsm.flags = 0;
     _u.vsm.size = 0;
-    _u.vsm.group[0] = '\0';
+    _u.vsm.group.sgroup.group[0] = '\0';
+    _u.vsm.group.type = group_type_short;
     _u.vsm.routing_id = 0;
     return 0;
 }
@@ -91,13 +92,15 @@ int zmq::msg_t::init_size (size_t size_)
         _u.vsm.type = type_vsm;
         _u.vsm.flags = 0;
         _u.vsm.size = static_cast<unsigned char> (size_);
-        _u.vsm.group[0] = '\0';
+        _u.vsm.group.sgroup.group[0] = '\0';
+        _u.vsm.group.type = group_type_short;
         _u.vsm.routing_id = 0;
     } else {
         _u.lmsg.metadata = NULL;
         _u.lmsg.type = type_lmsg;
         _u.lmsg.flags = 0;
-        _u.lmsg.group[0] = '\0';
+        _u.lmsg.group.sgroup.group[0] = '\0';
+        _u.lmsg.group.type = group_type_short;
         _u.lmsg.routing_id = 0;
         _u.lmsg.content = NULL;
         if (sizeof (content_t) + size_ > size_)
@@ -129,7 +132,8 @@ int zmq::msg_t::init_external_storage (content_t *content_,
     _u.zclmsg.metadata = NULL;
     _u.zclmsg.type = type_zclmsg;
     _u.zclmsg.flags = 0;
-    _u.zclmsg.group[0] = '\0';
+    _u.zclmsg.group.sgroup.group[0] = '\0';
+    _u.zclmsg.group.type = group_type_short;
     _u.zclmsg.routing_id = 0;
 
     _u.zclmsg.content = content_;
@@ -158,13 +162,15 @@ int zmq::msg_t::init_data (void *data_,
         _u.cmsg.flags = 0;
         _u.cmsg.data = data_;
         _u.cmsg.size = size_;
-        _u.cmsg.group[0] = '\0';
+        _u.cmsg.group.sgroup.group[0] = '\0';
+        _u.cmsg.group.type = group_type_short;
         _u.cmsg.routing_id = 0;
     } else {
         _u.lmsg.metadata = NULL;
         _u.lmsg.type = type_lmsg;
         _u.lmsg.flags = 0;
-        _u.lmsg.group[0] = '\0';
+        _u.lmsg.group.sgroup.group[0] = '\0';
+        _u.lmsg.group.type = group_type_short;
         _u.lmsg.routing_id = 0;
         _u.lmsg.content =
           static_cast<content_t *> (malloc (sizeof (content_t)));
@@ -187,7 +193,8 @@ int zmq::msg_t::init_delimiter ()
     _u.delimiter.metadata = NULL;
     _u.delimiter.type = type_delimiter;
     _u.delimiter.flags = 0;
-    _u.delimiter.group[0] = '\0';
+    _u.delimiter.group.sgroup.group[0] = '\0';
+    _u.delimiter.group.type = group_type_short;
     _u.delimiter.routing_id = 0;
     return 0;
 }
@@ -197,7 +204,8 @@ int zmq::msg_t::init_join ()
     _u.base.metadata = NULL;
     _u.base.type = type_join;
     _u.base.flags = 0;
-    _u.base.group[0] = '\0';
+    _u.base.group.sgroup.group[0] = '\0';
+    _u.base.group.type = group_type_short;
     _u.base.routing_id = 0;
     return 0;
 }
@@ -207,7 +215,8 @@ int zmq::msg_t::init_leave ()
     _u.base.metadata = NULL;
     _u.base.type = type_leave;
     _u.base.flags = 0;
-    _u.base.group[0] = '\0';
+    _u.base.group.sgroup.group[0] = '\0';
+    _u.base.group.type = group_type_short;
     _u.base.routing_id = 0;
     return 0;
 }
@@ -259,6 +268,16 @@ int zmq::msg_t::close ()
         _u.base.metadata = NULL;
     }
 
+    if (_u.base.group.type == group_type_long) {
+        if (!_u.base.group.lgroup.content->refcnt.sub (1)) {
+            //  We used "placement new" operator to initialize the reference
+            //  counter so we call the destructor explicitly now.
+            _u.base.group.lgroup.content->refcnt.~atomic_counter_t ();
+
+            free (_u.base.group.lgroup.content);
+        }
+    }
+
     //  Make the message invalid.
     _u.base.type = 0;
 
@@ -316,6 +335,9 @@ int zmq::msg_t::copy (msg_t &src_)
     if (src_._u.base.metadata != NULL)
         src_._u.base.metadata->add_ref ();
 
+    if (src_._u.base.group.type == group_type_long)
+        src_._u.base.group.lgroup.content->refcnt.add (1);
+
     *this = src_;
 
     return 0;
@@ -600,12 +622,16 @@ int zmq::msg_t::reset_routing_id ()
 
 const char *zmq::msg_t::group () const
 {
-    return _u.base.group;
+    if (_u.base.group.type == group_type_long)
+        return _u.base.group.lgroup.content->group;
+    return _u.base.group.sgroup.group;
 }
 
 int zmq::msg_t::set_group (const char *group_)
 {
-    return set_group (group_, ZMQ_GROUP_MAX_LENGTH);
+    size_t length = strnlen (group_, ZMQ_GROUP_MAX_LENGTH);
+
+    return set_group (group_, length);
 }
 
 int zmq::msg_t::set_group (const char *group_, size_t length_)
@@ -615,8 +641,19 @@ int zmq::msg_t::set_group (const char *group_, size_t length_)
         return -1;
     }
 
-    strncpy (_u.base.group, group_, length_);
-    _u.base.group[length_] = '\0';
+    if (length_ > 14) {
+        _u.base.group.lgroup.type = group_type_long;
+        _u.base.group.lgroup.content =
+          (long_group_t *) malloc (sizeof (long_group_t));
+        assert (_u.base.group.lgroup.content);
+        new (&_u.base.group.lgroup.content->refcnt) zmq::atomic_counter_t ();
+        _u.base.group.lgroup.content->refcnt.set (1);
+        strncpy (_u.base.group.lgroup.content->group, group_, length_);
+        _u.base.group.lgroup.content->group[length_] = '\0';
+    } else {
+        strncpy (_u.base.group.sgroup.group, group_, length_);
+        _u.base.group.sgroup.group[length_] = '\0';
+    }
 
     return 0;
 }
diff --git a/src/msg.hpp b/src/msg.hpp
index c9c8ec56..46447315 100644
--- a/src/msg.hpp
+++ b/src/msg.hpp
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@
 //  Note that it has to be declared as "C" so that it is the same as
 //  zmq_free_fn defined in zmq.h.
 extern "C" {
-typedef void(msg_free_fn) (void *data_, void *hint_);
+typedef void (msg_free_fn) (void *data_, void *hint_);
 }
 
 namespace zmq
@@ -210,6 +210,33 @@ class msg_t
         type_max = 107
     };
 
+    enum group_type_t
+    {
+        group_type_short,
+        group_type_long
+    };
+
+    struct long_group_t
+    {
+        char group[ZMQ_GROUP_MAX_LENGTH + 1];
+        atomic_counter_t refcnt;
+    };
+
+    union group_t
+    {
+        unsigned char type;
+        struct
+        {
+            unsigned char type;
+            char group[15];
+        } sgroup;
+        struct
+        {
+            unsigned char type;
+            long_group_t *content;
+        } lgroup;
+    };
+
     //  Note that fields shared between different message types are not
     //  moved to the parent class (msg_t). This way we get tighter packing
     //  of the data. Shared fields can be accessed via 'base' member of
@@ -219,13 +246,13 @@ class msg_t
         struct
         {
             metadata_t *metadata;
-            unsigned char
-              unused[msg_t_size
-                     - (sizeof (metadata_t *) + 2 + 16 + sizeof (uint32_t))];
+            unsigned char unused[msg_t_size
+                                 - (sizeof (metadata_t *) + 2
+                                    + sizeof (uint32_t) + sizeof (group_t))];
             unsigned char type;
             unsigned char flags;
-            char group[16];
             uint32_t routing_id;
+            group_t group;
         } base;
         struct
         {
@@ -234,57 +261,59 @@ class msg_t
             unsigned char size;
             unsigned char type;
             unsigned char flags;
-            char group[16];
             uint32_t routing_id;
+            group_t group;
         } vsm;
         struct
         {
             metadata_t *metadata;
             content_t *content;
-            unsigned char unused[msg_t_size
-                                 - (sizeof (metadata_t *) + sizeof (content_t *)
-                                    + 2 + 16 + sizeof (uint32_t))];
+            unsigned char
+              unused[msg_t_size
+                     - (sizeof (metadata_t *) + sizeof (content_t *) + 2
+                        + sizeof (uint32_t) + sizeof (group_t))];
             unsigned char type;
             unsigned char flags;
-            char group[16];
             uint32_t routing_id;
+            group_t group;
         } lmsg;
         struct
         {
             metadata_t *metadata;
             content_t *content;
-            unsigned char unused[msg_t_size
-                                 - (sizeof (metadata_t *) + sizeof (content_t *)
-                                    + 2 + 16 + sizeof (uint32_t))];
+            unsigned char
+              unused[msg_t_size
+                     - (sizeof (metadata_t *) + sizeof (content_t *) + 2
+                        + sizeof (uint32_t) + sizeof (group_t))];
             unsigned char type;
             unsigned char flags;
-            char group[16];
             uint32_t routing_id;
+            group_t group;
         } zclmsg;
         struct
         {
             metadata_t *metadata;
             void *data;
             size_t size;
-            unsigned char
-              unused[msg_t_size
-                     - (sizeof (metadata_t *) + sizeof (void *)
-                        + sizeof (size_t) + 2 + 16 + sizeof (uint32_t))];
+            unsigned char unused[msg_t_size
+                                 - (sizeof (metadata_t *) + sizeof (void *)
+                                    + sizeof (size_t) + 2 + sizeof (uint32_t)
+                                    + sizeof (group_t))];
             unsigned char type;
             unsigned char flags;
-            char group[16];
             uint32_t routing_id;
+            group_t group;
         } cmsg;
         struct
         {
             metadata_t *metadata;
-            unsigned char
-              unused[msg_t_size
-                     - (sizeof (metadata_t *) + 2 + 16 + sizeof (uint32_t))];
+            unsigned char unused[msg_t_size
+                                 - (sizeof (metadata_t *) + 2
+                                    + sizeof (uint32_t) + sizeof (group_t))];
             unsigned char type;
             unsigned char flags;
-            char group[16];
             uint32_t routing_id;
+            group_t group;
         } delimiter;
     } _u;
 };
diff --git a/tests/test_radio_dish.cpp b/tests/test_radio_dish.cpp
index 54cb0494..3c3fb18e 100644
--- a/tests/test_radio_dish.cpp
+++ b/tests/test_radio_dish.cpp
@@ -96,6 +96,35 @@ void test_leave_unjoined_fails ()
     test_context_socket_close (dish);
 }
 
+void test_long_group ()
+{
+    size_t len = MAX_SOCKET_STRING;
+    char my_endpoint[MAX_SOCKET_STRING];
+
+    void *radio = test_context_socket (ZMQ_RADIO);
+    bind_loopback (radio, false, my_endpoint, len);
+
+    void *dish = test_context_socket (ZMQ_DISH);
+
+    // Joining to a long group, over 14 chars
+    char group[19] = "0123456789ABCDEFGH";
+    TEST_ASSERT_SUCCESS_ERRNO (zmq_join (dish, group));
+
+    // Connecting
+    TEST_ASSERT_SUCCESS_ERRNO (zmq_connect (dish, my_endpoint));
+
+    msleep (SETTLE_TIME);
+
+    //  This is going to be sent to the dish
+    msg_send_expect_success (radio, group, "HELLO");
+
+    //  Check the correct message arrived
+    msg_recv_cmp (dish, group, "HELLO");
+
+    test_context_socket_close (dish);
+    test_context_socket_close (radio);
+}
+
 void test_join_too_long_fails ()
 {
     void *dish = test_context_socket (ZMQ_DISH);
@@ -505,6 +534,7 @@ int main (void)
     UNITY_BEGIN ();
     RUN_TEST (test_leave_unjoined_fails);
     RUN_TEST (test_join_too_long_fails);
+    RUN_TEST (test_long_group);
     RUN_TEST (test_join_twice_fails);
     RUN_TEST (test_radio_bind_fails_ipv4);
     RUN_TEST (test_radio_bind_fails_ipv6);