diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/models/category.js b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/models/category.js
index 37e5b95e44b..0b40ed3e0ab 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/models/category.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/models/category.js
@@ -188,6 +188,8 @@ Discourse.Category = Discourse.Model.extend({
   }.property('id')
 });
 
+var _uncategorized;
+
 Discourse.Category.reopenClass({
 
   NotificationLevel: {
@@ -197,6 +199,11 @@ Discourse.Category.reopenClass({
     MUTED: 0
   },
 
+  findUncategorized: function() {
+    _uncategorized = _uncategorized || Discourse.Category.list().findBy('id', Discourse.Site.currentProp('uncategorized_category_id'));
+    return _uncategorized;
+  },
+
   slugFor: function(category) {
     if (!category) return "";
 
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/views/category-chooser.js.es6 b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/views/category-chooser.js.es6
index bd5258d6e42..84bb3424d32 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/views/category-chooser.js.es6
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/views/category-chooser.js.es6
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ export default ComboboxView.extend({
       if (this.get('rootNone')) {
         return "category.none";
       } else {
-        return Discourse.Category.list().findBy('id', Discourse.Site.currentProp('uncategorized_category_id'));
+        return Discourse.Category.findUncategorized();
       }
     } else {
       return 'category.choose';
@@ -42,9 +42,20 @@ export default ComboboxView.extend({
   }.property(),
 
   template: function(item) {
-    var category = Discourse.Category.findById(parseInt(item.id,10));
-    if (!category) return item.text;
 
+    var category;
+
+    // If we have no id, but text with the uncategorized name, we can use that badge.
+    if (Em.empty(item.id)) {
+      var uncat = Discourse.Category.findUncategorized();
+      if (uncat && uncat.get('name') === item.text) {
+        category = uncat;
+      }
+    } else {
+      category = Discourse.Category.findById(parseInt(item.id,10));
+    }
+
+    if (!category) return item.text;
     var result = badgeHtml(category, {showParent: false, link: false, allowUncategorized: true}),
         parentCategoryId = category.get('parent_category_id');
     if (parentCategoryId) {
@@ -56,7 +67,6 @@ export default ComboboxView.extend({
     var description = category.get('description');
     // TODO wtf how can this be null?;
     if (description && description !== 'null') {
-
       result += '<div class="category-desc">' +
                  description.substr(0,200) +
                  (description.length > 200 ? '&hellip;' : '') +