diff --git a/moto/ec2/utils.py b/moto/ec2/utils.py
index 365632abd..8f86d0a8d 100644
--- a/moto/ec2/utils.py
+++ b/moto/ec2/utils.py
@@ -335,6 +335,11 @@ def get_object_value(obj, attr):
             val = getattr(val, key)
         elif isinstance(val, dict):
             val = val[key]
+        elif isinstance(val, list):
+            for item in val:
+                item_val = get_object_value(item, key)
+                if item_val:
+                    return item_val
         else:
             return None
     return val
@@ -385,8 +390,9 @@ filter_dict_attribute_mapping = {
     'state-reason-code': '_state_reason.code',
     'source-dest-check': 'source_dest_check',
     'vpc-id': 'vpc_id',
-    'group-id': 'security_groups',
-    'instance.group-id': 'security_groups',
+    'group-id': 'security_groups.id',
+    'instance.group-id': 'security_groups.id',
+    'instance.group-name': 'security_groups.name',
     'instance-type': 'instance_type',
     'private-ip-address': 'private_ip',
     'ip-address': 'public_ip',
diff --git a/tests/test_ec2/test_instances.py b/tests/test_ec2/test_instances.py
index 75f759c0f..a9af7c31f 100644
--- a/tests/test_ec2/test_instances.py
+++ b/tests/test_ec2/test_instances.py
@@ -437,6 +437,41 @@ def test_get_instances_filtering_by_ni_private_dns():
     ])['Reservations']
     reservations[0]['Instances'].should.have.length_of(1)
 
+@mock_ec2
+def test_get_instances_filtering_by_instance_group_name():
+    image_id = 'ami-1234abcd'
+    client = boto3.client('ec2', region_name='us-east-1')
+    client.create_security_group(
+        Description='test',
+        GroupName='test_sg'
+    )
+    client.run_instances(ImageId=image_id,
+                          MinCount=1,
+                          MaxCount=1,
+                          SecurityGroups=['test_sg'])
+    reservations = client.describe_instances(Filters=[
+        {'Name': 'instance.group-name', 'Values': ['test_sg']}
+    ])['Reservations']
+    reservations[0]['Instances'].should.have.length_of(1)
+
+@mock_ec2
+def test_get_instances_filtering_by_instance_group_id():
+    image_id = 'ami-1234abcd'
+    client = boto3.client('ec2', region_name='us-east-1')
+    create_sg = client.create_security_group(
+        Description='test',
+        GroupName='test_sg'
+    )
+    group_id = create_sg['GroupId']
+    client.run_instances(ImageId=image_id,
+                          MinCount=1,
+                          MaxCount=1,
+                          SecurityGroups=['test_sg'])
+    reservations = client.describe_instances(Filters=[
+        {'Name': 'instance.group-id', 'Values': [group_id]}
+    ])['Reservations']
+    reservations[0]['Instances'].should.have.length_of(1)
+
 @mock_ec2_deprecated
 def test_get_instances_filtering_by_tag():
     conn = boto.connect_ec2()