diff --git a/app/models/category_list.rb b/app/models/category_list.rb
index f3ae8a1d007..ccc23d88b65 100644
--- a/app/models/category_list.rb
+++ b/app/models/category_list.rb
@@ -87,13 +87,15 @@ class CategoryList
       @categories = @categories.to_a
 
       category_user = {}
+      default_notification_level = nil
       unless @guardian.anonymous?
         category_user = Hash[*CategoryUser.where(user: @guardian.user).pluck(:category_id, :notification_level).flatten]
+        default_notification_level = CategoryUser.notification_levels[:regular]
       end
 
       allowed_topic_create = Set.new(Category.topic_create_allowed(@guardian).pluck(:id))
       @categories.each do |category|
-        category.notification_level = category_user[category.id]
+        category.notification_level = category_user[category.id] || default_notification_level
         category.permission = CategoryGroup.permission_types[:full] if allowed_topic_create.include?(category.id)
         category.has_children = category.subcategories.present?
       end
diff --git a/spec/models/category_list_spec.rb b/spec/models/category_list_spec.rb
index c3d5efb88f8..ac7a46542ad 100644
--- a/spec/models/category_list_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/category_list_spec.rb
@@ -81,6 +81,28 @@ describe CategoryList do
       end
     end
 
+    context "notification level" do
+      it "returns 'regular' as default notification level" do
+        category = category_list.categories.find { |c| c.id == topic_category.id }
+        expect(category.notification_level).to eq(NotificationLevels.all[:regular])
+      end
+
+      it "returns the users notication level" do
+        CategoryUser.set_notification_level_for_category(user, NotificationLevels.all[:watching], topic_category.id)
+        category_list = CategoryList.new(Guardian.new(user))
+        category = category_list.categories.find { |c| c.id == topic_category.id }
+
+        expect(category.notification_level).to eq(NotificationLevels.all[:watching])
+      end
+
+      it "returns no notication level for anonymous users" do
+        category_list = CategoryList.new(Guardian.new(nil))
+        category = category_list.categories.find { |c| c.id == topic_category.id }
+
+        expect(category.notification_level).to be_nil
+      end
+    end
+
   end
 
   describe 'category order' do