diff --git a/app/models/category_featured_topic.rb b/app/models/category_featured_topic.rb
index 66c05573fa0..c408bb46505 100644
--- a/app/models/category_featured_topic.rb
+++ b/app/models/category_featured_topic.rb
@@ -19,14 +19,21 @@ class CategoryFeaturedTopic < ActiveRecord::Base
   def self.feature_topics_for(c, existing=nil)
     return if c.blank?
 
-    query = TopicQuery.new(CategoryFeaturedTopic.fake_admin,
+    query_opts = {
       per_page: SiteSetting.category_featured_topics,
       except_topic_ids: [c.topic_id],
       visible: true,
-      no_definitions: true)
+      no_definitions: true
+    }
 
+    # Add topics, even if they're in secured categories:
+    query = TopicQuery.new(CategoryFeaturedTopic.fake_admin, query_opts)
     results = query.list_category_topic_ids(c).uniq
 
+    # Add some topics that are visible to everyone:
+    anon_query = TopicQuery.new(nil, query_opts.merge({except_topic_ids: [c.topic_id] + results}))
+    results += anon_query.list_category_topic_ids(c).uniq
+
     return if results == existing
 
     CategoryFeaturedTopic.transaction do
diff --git a/lib/topic_query.rb b/lib/topic_query.rb
index 25e2b6fd488..73d47fd4ada 100644
--- a/lib/topic_query.rb
+++ b/lib/topic_query.rb
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ class TopicQuery
 
   def initialize(user=nil, options={})
     options.assert_valid_keys(VALID_OPTIONS)
-    @options = options
+    @options = options.dup
     @user = user
   end
 
diff --git a/spec/models/category_featured_topic_spec.rb b/spec/models/category_featured_topic_spec.rb
index 38c3383a458..8aa83e21b96 100644
--- a/spec/models/category_featured_topic_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/category_featured_topic_spec.rb
@@ -34,9 +34,10 @@ describe CategoryFeaturedTopic do
 
 
     it 'should feature stuff in the correct order' do
-      SiteSetting.stubs(:category_featured_topics).returns(3)
+      SiteSetting.stubs(:category_featured_topics).returns(2)
 
       category = Fabricate(:category)
+      t5 = Fabricate(:topic, category_id: category.id, bumped_at: 12.minutes.ago)
       t4 = Fabricate(:topic, category_id: category.id, bumped_at: 10.minutes.ago)
       t3 = Fabricate(:topic, category_id: category.id, bumped_at: 7.minutes.ago)
       t2 = Fabricate(:topic, category_id: category.id, bumped_at: 4.minutes.ago)
@@ -45,9 +46,10 @@ describe CategoryFeaturedTopic do
 
       CategoryFeaturedTopic.feature_topics_for(category)
 
+      # Should find more than we need: pinned topics first, then category_featured_topics * 2
       expect(
         CategoryFeaturedTopic.where(category_id: category.id).pluck(:topic_id)
-      ).to eq([pinned.id, t2.id, t1.id, t3.id])
+      ).to eq([pinned.id, t2.id, t1.id, t3.id, t4.id])
 
     end
   end