diff --git a/xwords4/android/XWords4/src/org/eehouse/android/xw4/GameUtils.java b/xwords4/android/XWords4/src/org/eehouse/android/xw4/GameUtils.java
index 2d03c1de3..d8373ccb9 100644
--- a/xwords4/android/XWords4/src/org/eehouse/android/xw4/GameUtils.java
+++ b/xwords4/android/XWords4/src/org/eehouse/android/xw4/GameUtils.java
@@ -375,6 +375,11 @@ public class GameUtils {
         return DBUtils.saveGame( context, lock, bytes, setCreate );
     }
 
+    public static GameLock saveNewGame( Context context, byte[] bytes )
+    {
+        return saveNewGame( context, bytes, DBUtils.GROUPID_UNSPEC );
+    }
+
     public static GameLock saveNewGame( Context context, byte[] bytes,
                                         long groupID )
     {
@@ -383,7 +388,9 @@ public class GameUtils {
 
     public static long saveNew( Context context, CurGameInfo gi, long groupID )
     {
-        Assert.assertTrue( DBUtils.GROUPID_UNSPEC != groupID );
+        if ( DBUtils.GROUPID_UNSPEC == groupID ) {
+            groupID = XWPrefs.getDefaultNewGameGroup( context );
+        }
 
         long rowid = DBUtils.ROWID_NOTFOUND;
         byte[] bytes = XwJNI.gi_to_stream( gi );
diff --git a/xwords4/android/XWords4/src/org/eehouse/android/xw4/GamesList.java b/xwords4/android/XWords4/src/org/eehouse/android/xw4/GamesList.java
index 781b46b35..de8875885 100644
--- a/xwords4/android/XWords4/src/org/eehouse/android/xw4/GamesList.java
+++ b/xwords4/android/XWords4/src/org/eehouse/android/xw4/GamesList.java
@@ -821,8 +821,7 @@ public class GamesList extends XWExpandableListActivity
                             byte[] stream = GameUtils.savedGame( GamesList.this,
                                                                  selRowIDs[0] );
                             GameLock lock = 
-                                GameUtils.saveNewGame( GamesList.this, stream,
-                                                       getSaveGroup() );
+                                GameUtils.saveNewGame( GamesList.this, stream );
                             DBUtils.saveSummary( GamesList.this, lock, smry );
                             m_selGames.add( lock.getRowid() );
                             lock.unlock();
@@ -1055,9 +1054,6 @@ public class GamesList extends XWExpandableListActivity
 
     private void startNewGameActivity( long groupID )
     {
-        if ( DBUtils.GROUPID_UNSPEC == groupID ) {
-            groupID = getSaveGroup();
-        }
         NewGameActivity.startActivity( this, groupID );
     }
 
@@ -1337,15 +1333,6 @@ public class GamesList extends XWExpandableListActivity
         }
     }
 
-    private long getSaveGroup()
-    {
-        long groupID = XWPrefs.getDefaultNewGameGroup( this );
-        if ( DBUtils.GROUPID_UNSPEC == groupID ) {
-            groupID = m_adapter.getGroupIDFor( 0 );
-        }
-        return groupID;
-    }
-
     public static void onGameDictDownload( Context context, Intent intent )
     {
         intent.setClass( context, GamesList.class );
diff --git a/xwords4/android/XWords4/src/org/eehouse/android/xw4/NewGameActivity.java b/xwords4/android/XWords4/src/org/eehouse/android/xw4/NewGameActivity.java
index 89d445080..c45bd58bb 100644
--- a/xwords4/android/XWords4/src/org/eehouse/android/xw4/NewGameActivity.java
+++ b/xwords4/android/XWords4/src/org/eehouse/android/xw4/NewGameActivity.java
@@ -79,7 +79,6 @@ public class NewGameActivity extends XWActivity {
         getBundledData( savedInstanceState );
 
         m_groupID = getIntent().getLongExtra( GROUPID_EXTRA, -1 );
-        Assert.assertTrue( -1 != m_groupID );
 
         setContentView( R.layout.new_game );