diff --git a/src/H5Gdeprec.c b/src/H5Gdeprec.c
index 45065e8774d..255fb32b106 100644
--- a/src/H5Gdeprec.c
+++ b/src/H5Gdeprec.c
@@ -142,9 +142,8 @@ H5G_map_obj_type(H5O_type_t obj_type)
  *		and it's object ID is returned.
  *
  *		The SIZE_HINT parameter specifies how much file space to reserve
- *		to store the names that will appear in this group. This number
- *		must be less than or equal to UINT32_MAX. If zero is supplied
- *		for the SIZE_HINT then a default size is chosen.
+ *		to store the names that will appear in this group. If zero is
+ *		supplied for the SIZE_HINT then a default size is chosen.
  *
  * Note:	Deprecated in favor of H5Gcreate2
  *
@@ -174,8 +173,6 @@ H5Gcreate1(hid_t loc_id, const char *name, size_t size_hint)
     /* Check arguments */
     if (!name || !*name)
         HGOTO_ERROR(H5E_ARGS, H5E_BADVALUE, H5I_INVALID_HID, "no name given")
-    if (size_hint > UINT32_MAX)
-        HGOTO_ERROR(H5E_ARGS, H5E_BADVALUE, H5I_INVALID_HID, "size_hint cannot be larger than UINT32_MAX")
 
     /* Check if we need to create a non-standard GCPL */
     if (size_hint > 0) {
@@ -199,7 +196,7 @@ H5Gcreate1(hid_t loc_id, const char *name, size_t size_hint)
             HGOTO_ERROR(H5E_PLIST, H5E_CANTGET, H5I_INVALID_HID, "can't get group info")
 
         /* Set the non-default local heap size hint */
-        H5_CHECKED_ASSIGN(ginfo.lheap_size_hint, uint32_t, size_hint, size_t);
+        ginfo.lheap_size_hint = size_hint;
         if (H5P_set(gc_plist, H5G_CRT_GROUP_INFO_NAME, &ginfo) < 0)
             HGOTO_ERROR(H5E_PLIST, H5E_CANTSET, H5I_INVALID_HID, "can't set group info")
     }
diff --git a/src/H5Gpublic.h b/src/H5Gpublic.h
index b009d4175af..8fe2fe8055b 100644
--- a/src/H5Gpublic.h
+++ b/src/H5Gpublic.h
@@ -592,8 +592,7 @@ typedef struct H5G_stat_t {
  *          group, is not limited.
  *
  *          \p size_hint is a hint for the number of bytes to reserve to store
- *          the names which will be eventually added to the new group. This
- *          value must be between 0 and UINT32_MAX (inclusive). If this
+ *          the names which will be eventually added to the new group. If this
  *          parameter is zero, a default value will be used.
  *
  *          The return value is a group identifier for the open group. This
diff --git a/src/H5Oprivate.h b/src/H5Oprivate.h
index 65f030876ff..ae2448cf86c 100644
--- a/src/H5Oprivate.h
+++ b/src/H5Oprivate.h
@@ -684,7 +684,7 @@ typedef struct H5O_bogus_t {
  */
 typedef struct H5O_ginfo_t {
     /* "Old" format group info (not stored) */
-    uint32_t lheap_size_hint; /* Local heap size hint              */
+    size_t lheap_size_hint; /* Local heap size hint              */
 
     /* "New" format group info (stored) */
 
diff --git a/test/tmisc.c b/test/tmisc.c
index 4d0c04dd211..9235e0c832f 100644
--- a/test/tmisc.c
+++ b/test/tmisc.c
@@ -4088,22 +4088,13 @@ test_misc23(void)
     H5E_END_TRY;
     VERIFY(tmp_id, FAIL, "H5Gcreate1");
 
-    /* Make sure that size_hint values that can't fit into a 32-bit
-     * unsigned integer are rejected. Only necessary on systems where
-     * size_t is a 64-bit type.
-     */
-    if (SIZE_MAX > UINT32_MAX) {
-        H5E_BEGIN_TRY
-        {
-            tmp_id = H5Gcreate1(file_id, "/size_hint_too_large", SIZE_MAX);
-        }
-        H5E_END_TRY;
-        VERIFY(tmp_id, FAIL, "H5Gcreate1");
-    }
-
     tmp_id = H5Gcreate1(file_id, "/A/grp", (size_t)0);
     CHECK(tmp_id, FAIL, "H5Gcreate1");
 
+    /* Check that the largest size hint is acceptable */
+    tmp_id = H5Gcreate1(file_id, "/enormous_size_hint", SIZE_MAX);
+    CHECK(tmp_id, FAIL, "H5Gcreate1");
+
     status = H5Gclose(tmp_id);
     CHECK(status, FAIL, "H5Gclose");