diff --git a/rhodecode/templates/admin/users_groups/users_group_add.html b/rhodecode/templates/admin/users_groups/users_group_add.html
--- a/rhodecode/templates/admin/users_groups/users_group_add.html
+++ b/rhodecode/templates/admin/users_groups/users_group_add.html
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@
                     <label for="users_group_active">${_('Active')}:</label>
                 </div>
                 <div class="checkboxes">
-                    ${h.checkbox('users_group_active',value=True)}
+                    ${h.checkbox('users_group_active',value=True, checked='checked')}
                 </div>
              </div>