diff --git a/briar-api/src/net/sf/briar/api/messaging/GroupFactory.java b/briar-api/src/net/sf/briar/api/messaging/GroupFactory.java
index dec240777..6fd7b4ab6 100644
--- a/briar-api/src/net/sf/briar/api/messaging/GroupFactory.java
+++ b/briar-api/src/net/sf/briar/api/messaging/GroupFactory.java
@@ -9,4 +9,8 @@ public interface GroupFactory {
 
 	/** Creates a restricted group. */
 	Group createGroup(String name, byte[] publicKey) throws IOException;
+
+	/** Creates a restricted group to which the local user can post messages. */
+	LocalGroup createLocalGroup(String name, byte[] publicKey,
+			byte[] privateKey) throws IOException;
 }
diff --git a/briar-core/src/net/sf/briar/messaging/GroupFactoryImpl.java b/briar-core/src/net/sf/briar/messaging/GroupFactoryImpl.java
index a7cf91f13..c32248b8d 100644
--- a/briar-core/src/net/sf/briar/messaging/GroupFactoryImpl.java
+++ b/briar-core/src/net/sf/briar/messaging/GroupFactoryImpl.java
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import net.sf.briar.api.crypto.MessageDigest;
 import net.sf.briar.api.messaging.Group;
 import net.sf.briar.api.messaging.GroupFactory;
 import net.sf.briar.api.messaging.GroupId;
+import net.sf.briar.api.messaging.LocalGroup;
 import net.sf.briar.api.serial.Writer;
 import net.sf.briar.api.serial.WriterFactory;
 
@@ -31,6 +32,17 @@ class GroupFactoryImpl implements GroupFactory {
 	}
 
 	public Group createGroup(String name, byte[] publicKey) throws IOException {
+		GroupId id = getId(name, publicKey);
+		return new Group(id, name, publicKey);
+	}
+
+	public LocalGroup createLocalGroup(String name, byte[] publicKey,
+			byte[] privateKey) throws IOException {
+		GroupId id = getId(name, publicKey);
+		return new LocalGroup(id, name, publicKey, privateKey);
+	}
+
+	private GroupId getId(String name, byte[] publicKey) throws IOException {
 		ByteArrayOutputStream out = new ByteArrayOutputStream();
 		Writer w = writerFactory.createWriter(out);
 		w.writeStructId(GROUP);
@@ -39,7 +51,6 @@ class GroupFactoryImpl implements GroupFactory {
 		else w.writeBytes(publicKey);
 		MessageDigest messageDigest = crypto.getMessageDigest();
 		messageDigest.update(out.toByteArray());
-		GroupId id = new GroupId(messageDigest.digest());
-		return new Group(id, name, publicKey);
+		return new GroupId(messageDigest.digest());
 	}
 }