diff --git a/core/common/src/main/java/org/onosproject/codec/impl/DecodeInstructionCodecHelper.java b/core/common/src/main/java/org/onosproject/codec/impl/DecodeInstructionCodecHelper.java
index 2730c38..2933ca9 100644
--- a/core/common/src/main/java/org/onosproject/codec/impl/DecodeInstructionCodecHelper.java
+++ b/core/common/src/main/java/org/onosproject/codec/impl/DecodeInstructionCodecHelper.java
@@ -476,8 +476,10 @@
             return Instructions.transition(nullIsIllegal(json.get(InstructionCodec.TABLE_ID),
                     InstructionCodec.TABLE_ID + InstructionCodec.MISSING_MEMBER_MESSAGE).asInt());
         } else if (type.equals(Instruction.Type.GROUP.name())) {
-            GroupId groupId = new GroupId(nullIsIllegal(json.get(InstructionCodec.GROUP_ID),
-                    InstructionCodec.GROUP_ID + InstructionCodec.MISSING_MEMBER_MESSAGE).asInt());
+            // a group id should be an unsigned integer
+            Long id = nullIsIllegal(json.get(InstructionCodec.GROUP_ID),
+                    InstructionCodec.GROUP_ID + InstructionCodec.MISSING_MEMBER_MESSAGE).asLong();
+            GroupId groupId = new GroupId(id.intValue());
             return Instructions.createGroup(groupId);
         } else if (type.equals(Instruction.Type.METER.name())) {
             MeterId meterId = MeterId.meterId(nullIsIllegal(json.get(InstructionCodec.METER_ID),