diff --git a/bridge_loop_avoidance.c b/bridge_loop_avoidance.c
index b1f2abc..52575f2 100644
--- a/bridge_loop_avoidance.c
+++ b/bridge_loop_avoidance.c
@@ -33,7 +33,6 @@
 #include <net/arp.h>
 #include <linux/if_vlan.h>
 
-static const uint8_t claim_dest[6] = {0xff, 0x43, 0x05, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00};
 static const uint8_t announce_mac[6] = {0x43, 0x05, 0x43, 0x05, 0x00, 0x00};
 
 static void bla_periodic_work(struct work_struct *work);
@@ -255,7 +254,7 @@ static void bla_send_claim(struct bat_priv *bat_priv, uint8_t *mac,
 	if (!primary_if)
 		return;
 
-	memcpy(&local_claim_dest, claim_dest,
+	memcpy(&local_claim_dest, &bat_priv->claim_dest,
 			sizeof(local_claim_dest));
 	local_claim_dest.type = claimtype;
 
@@ -268,8 +267,9 @@ static void bla_send_claim(struct bat_priv *bat_priv, uint8_t *mac,
 		NULL,				/* Ethernet DST: Broadcast */
 		primary_if->net_dev->dev_addr,	/* Ethernet SRC/HW SRC:
 						 * originator mac */
-		(uint8_t *)&local_claim_dest	/* HW DST: FF:43:05:XX:00:00
-						 * with XX   = claim type */
+		(uint8_t *)&local_claim_dest	/* HW DST: FF:43:05:XX:YY:YY
+						 * with XX   = claim type
+						 * and YY:YY = group id */
 		);
 
 	if (!skb)
@@ -701,6 +701,82 @@ static int handle_claim(struct bat_priv *bat_priv,
 	return 1;
 }
 
+/**
+ *
+ * @bat_priv: the bat priv with all the soft interface information
+ * @hw_src: the Hardware source in the ARP Header
+ * @hw_dst: the Hardware destination in the ARP Header
+ * @ethhdr: pointer to the Ethernet header of the claim frame
+ *
+ * checks if it is a claim packet and if its on the same group.
+ * This function also applies the group ID of the sender
+ * if it is in the same mesh.
+ *
+ * returns:
+ *	2  - if it is a claim packet and on the same group
+ *	1  - if is a claim packet from another group
+ *	0  - if it is not a claim packet
+ */
+static int check_claim_group(struct bat_priv *bat_priv,
+		uint8_t *hw_src, uint8_t *hw_dst, struct ethhdr *ethhdr)
+{
+	uint8_t *backbone_addr;
+	struct orig_node *orig_node;
+	struct bla_claim_dst *bla_dst, *bla_dst_own;
+
+	bla_dst = (struct bla_claim_dst *) hw_dst;
+	bla_dst_own = &bat_priv->claim_dest;
+
+	/* check if it is a claim packet in general */
+	if (memcmp(bla_dst->magic, bla_dst_own->magic,
+			sizeof(bla_dst->magic)) != 0)
+		return 0;
+
+	/* if announcement packet, use the source,
+	 * otherwise assume it is in the hw_src */
+	switch (bla_dst->type) {
+	case CLAIM_TYPE_ADD:
+		backbone_addr = hw_src;
+		break;
+	case CLAIM_TYPE_REQUEST:
+	case CLAIM_TYPE_ANNOUNCE:
+	case CLAIM_TYPE_DEL:
+		backbone_addr = ethhdr->h_source;
+		break;
+	default:
+		return 0;
+	}
+
+	/* don't accept claim frames from ourselves */
+	if (compare_eth(backbone_addr, bat_priv->own_orig))
+		return 0;
+
+	/* if its already the same group, it is fine. */
+	if (bla_dst->group == bla_dst_own->group)
+		return 2;
+
+	/* lets see if this originator is in our mesh */
+	orig_node = orig_hash_find(bat_priv, backbone_addr);
+
+	/* dont accept claims from gateways which are not in
+	 * the same mesh or group. */
+	if (!orig_node)
+		return 1;
+
+	/* if our mesh friends mac is bigger, use it for ourselves. */
+	if (ntohs(bla_dst->group) > ntohs(bla_dst_own->group)) {
+		bat_dbg(DBG_BLA, bat_priv,
+			"taking other backbones claim group: %04x\n",
+			ntohs(bla_dst->group));
+		bla_dst_own->group = bla_dst->group;
+	}
+
+	orig_node_free_ref(orig_node);
+
+	return 2;
+}
+
+
 /*
  * @bat_priv: the bat priv with all the soft interface information
  * @skb: the frame to be checked
@@ -721,6 +797,7 @@ static int bla_process_claim(struct bat_priv *bat_priv, struct sk_buff *skb)
 	uint16_t proto;
 	int headlen;
 	short vid = -1;
+	int ret;
 
 	ethhdr = (struct ethhdr *)skb_mac_header(skb);
 
@@ -761,8 +838,15 @@ static int bla_process_claim(struct bat_priv *bat_priv, struct sk_buff *skb)
 	bla_dst = (struct bla_claim_dst *) hw_dst;
 
 	/* check if it is a claim frame. */
-	if (memcmp(hw_dst, claim_dest, 3) != 0)
-		return 0;
+	ret = check_claim_group(bat_priv, hw_src, hw_dst, ethhdr);
+	if (ret == 1)
+		bat_dbg(DBG_BLA, bat_priv, "bla_process_claim(): received "
+			"a claim frame from another group. From: "
+			"%pM on vid %d ...(hw_src %pM, hw_dst %pM)\n",
+			ethhdr->h_source, vid, hw_src, hw_dst);
+
+	if (ret < 2)
+		return ret;
 
 	/* become a backbone gw ourselves on this vlan if not happened yet */
 	bla_update_own_backbone_gw(bat_priv, vid);
@@ -806,6 +890,9 @@ void bla_update_orig_address(struct bat_priv *bat_priv, uint8_t *newaddr)
 	struct hashtable_t *hash;
 	int i;
 
+	/* reset bridge loop avoidance group id */
+	bat_priv->claim_dest.group = htons(crc16(0, newaddr, ETH_ALEN));
+
 	hash = bat_priv->backbone_hash;
 	if (!hash)
 		return;
@@ -971,9 +1058,16 @@ timer:
 int bla_init(struct bat_priv *bat_priv)
 {
 	int i;
+	uint8_t claim_dest[6] = {0xff, 0x43, 0x05, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00};
 
 	bat_dbg(DBG_BLA, bat_priv, "bla hash registering\n");
 
+	/* setting claim destination address */
+	memcpy(&bat_priv->claim_dest.magic, claim_dest, 3);
+	bat_priv->claim_dest.type = 0;
+	bat_priv->claim_dest.group =
+		htons(crc16(0, bat_priv->own_orig, ETH_ALEN));
+
 	/* initialize the duplicate list */
 	for (i = 0; i < DUPLIST_SIZE; i++)
 		bat_priv->bcast_duplist[i].entrytime =
@@ -1390,8 +1484,9 @@ int bla_claim_table_seq_print_text(struct seq_file *seq, void *offset)
 	}
 
 	seq_printf(seq, "Claims announced for the mesh %s "
-			"(orig %pM)\n",
-			net_dev->name, bat_priv->own_orig);
+			"(orig %pM, group id %04x)\n",
+			net_dev->name, bat_priv->own_orig,
+			ntohs(bat_priv->claim_dest.group));
 	seq_printf(seq, "   %-17s    %-5s    %-17s [o] (%-4s)\n",
 		   "Client", "VID", "Originator", "CRC");
 	for (i = 0; i < hash->size; i++) {
diff --git a/types.h b/types.h
index 5f02447..21c4f3e 100644
--- a/types.h
+++ b/types.h
@@ -192,6 +192,7 @@ struct bat_priv {
 	struct hashtable_t *vis_hash;
 	struct bcast_duplist_entry bcast_duplist[DUPLIST_SIZE];
 	int bcast_duplist_curr;
+	struct bla_claim_dst claim_dest;
 	spinlock_t forw_bat_list_lock; /* protects forw_bat_list */
 	spinlock_t forw_bcast_list_lock; /* protects  */
 	spinlock_t tt_changes_list_lock; /* protects tt_changes */
