diff --git a/kallithea/tests/api/api_base.py b/kallithea/tests/api/api_base.py
--- a/kallithea/tests/api/api_base.py
+++ b/kallithea/tests/api/api_base.py
@@ -1081,10 +1081,13 @@ class _BaseTestApi(object):
         fixture.destroy_repo_group(repo_group_name)
 
     def test_api_create_repo_in_repo_group_without_permission(self):
-        repo_group_name = '%s/api-repo-repo' % TEST_REPO_GROUP
+        repo_group_basename = 'api-repo-repo'
+        repo_group_name = '%s/%s' % (TEST_REPO_GROUP, repo_group_basename)
         repo_name = '%s/api-repo' % repo_group_name
 
-        rg = fixture.create_repo_group(repo_group_name)
+        top_group = RepoGroup.get_by_group_name(TEST_REPO_GROUP)
+        assert top_group
+        rg = fixture.create_repo_group(repo_group_basename, group_parent_id=top_group)
         Session().commit()
         RepoGroupModel().grant_user_permission(repo_group_name,
                                                self.TEST_USER_LOGIN,
diff --git a/kallithea/tests/fixture.py b/kallithea/tests/fixture.py
--- a/kallithea/tests/fixture.py
+++ b/kallithea/tests/fixture.py
@@ -175,6 +175,7 @@ class Fixture(object):
         Session().commit()
 
     def create_repo_group(self, name, **kwargs):
+        assert '/' not in name, (name, kwargs) # use group_parent_id to make nested groups
         if 'skip_if_exists' in kwargs:
             del kwargs['skip_if_exists']
             gr = RepoGroup.get_by_group_name(group_name=name)