diff --git a/lib/ansible/inventory/ini.py b/lib/ansible/inventory/ini.py
index fafe0b5023..ddf1ba9534 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/inventory/ini.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/inventory/ini.py
@@ -66,6 +66,8 @@ class InventoryParser(object):
             if line.startswith("["):
                 active_group_name = line.replace("[","").replace("]","").strip()
                 if line.find(":vars") != -1 or line.find(":children") != -1:
+                    active_group_name = active_group_name.rsplit(":", 1)[0]
+                    self.groups[active_group_name] = Group(name=active_group_name)
                     active_group_name = None
                 else:
                     new_group = self.groups[active_group_name] = Group(name=active_group_name)