diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/components/utilities.js b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/components/utilities.js
index ac002240526..3b930ac7b0e 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/components/utilities.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/components/utilities.js
@@ -33,22 +33,26 @@ Discourse.Utilities = {
     }
   },
 
-  // Create a badge like category link
+  /**
+    Create a badge-like category link
+
+    @method categoryLink
+    @param {Discourse.Category} category the category whose link we want
+    @returns {String} the html category badge
+  **/
   categoryLink: function(category) {
     if (!category) return "";
 
-    var color = Em.get(category, 'color');
-    var textColor = Em.get(category, 'text_color');
-    var name = Em.get(category, 'name');
-    var description = Em.get(category, 'description');
-
-    // Build the HTML link
-    var result = "<a href=\"" + Discourse.getURL("/category/") + Discourse.Category.slugFor(category) + "\" class=\"badge-category\" ";
+    var color = Em.get(category, 'color'),
+        textColor = Em.get(category, 'text_color'),
+        name = Em.get(category, 'name'),
+        description = Em.get(category, 'description'),
+        html = "<a href=\"" + Discourse.getURL("/category/") + Discourse.Category.slugFor(category) + "\" class=\"badge-category\" ";
 
     // Add description if we have it
-    if (description) result += "title=\"" + Handlebars.Utils.escapeExpression(description) + "\" ";
+    if (description) html += "title=\"" + Handlebars.Utils.escapeExpression(description) + "\" ";
 
-    return result + "style=\"background-color: #" + color + "; color: #" + textColor + ";\">" + name + "</a>";
+    return html + "style=\"background-color: #" + color + "; color: #" + textColor + ";\">" + name + "</a>";
   },
 
   avatarUrl: function(template, size) {
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/models/category.js b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/models/category.js
index efb5b71123a..793404853e9 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/models/category.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/models/category.js
@@ -132,18 +132,56 @@ Discourse.Category.reopenClass({
 
   slugFor: function(category) {
     if (!category) return "";
-    var id = Em.get(category, 'id');
-    var slug = Em.get(category, 'slug');
-    if (!slug || slug.trim().length === 0) return "" + id + "-category";
-    return slug;
+
+    var parentCategory = Em.get(category, 'parentCategory'),
+        result = "";
+
+    if (parentCategory) {
+      result = Discourse.Category.slugFor(parentCategory) + "/";
+    }
+
+    var id = Em.get(category, 'id'),
+        slug = Em.get(category, 'slug');
+
+    if (!slug || slug.trim().length === 0) return result + id + "-category";
+    return result + slug;
   },
 
   list: function() {
     return Discourse.Site.currentProp('categories');
   },
 
-  findBySlugOrId: function(slugOrId) {
-    // TODO: all our routing around categories need a rethink
+  findBySlug: function(slug, parentSlug) {
+
+    var uncategorized = Discourse.Category.uncategorizedInstance();
+    if (slug === uncategorized.get('slug')) return uncategorized;
+
+    var categories = Discourse.Category.list(),
+        category;
+
+    if (parentSlug) {
+      var parentCategory = categories.findBy('slug', parentSlug);
+      if (parentCategory) {
+        category = categories.find(function(item) {
+          return item && item.get('parentCategory') === parentCategory && item.get('slug') === slug;
+        });
+      }
+    } else {
+      category = categories.findBy('slug', slug);
+
+      // If we have a parent category, we need to enforce it
+      if (category.get('parentCategory')) return;
+    }
+
+    // In case the slug didn't work, try to find it by id instead.
+    if (!category) {
+      category = categories.findBy('id', parseInt(slug, 10));
+    }
+
+    return category;
+  },
+
+  reloadBySlugOrId: function(slugOrId) {
     return Discourse.ajax("/category/" + slugOrId + "/show.json").then(function (result) {
       return Discourse.Category.create(result.category);
     });
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/models/category_list.js b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/models/category_list.js
index 31b4b9431fc..24761a1c5d7 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/models/category_list.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/models/category_list.js
@@ -24,18 +24,23 @@ Discourse.CategoryList = Ember.ArrayProxy.extend({
 Discourse.CategoryList.reopenClass({
 
   categoriesFrom: function(result) {
-    var categories = Discourse.CategoryList.create();
-    var users = Discourse.Model.extractByKey(result.featured_users, Discourse.User);
+    var categories = Discourse.CategoryList.create(),
+        users = Discourse.Model.extractByKey(result.featured_users, Discourse.User),
+        list = Discourse.Category.list();
 
+    result.category_list.categories.forEach(function(c) {
+
+      if (c.parent_category_id) {
+        c.parentCategory = list.findBy('id', c.parent_category_id);
+      }
 
-    _.each(result.category_list.categories,function(c) {
       if (c.featured_user_ids) {
-        c.featured_users = _.map(c.featured_user_ids,function(u) {
+        c.featured_users = c.featured_user_ids.map(function(u) {
           return users[u];
         });
       }
       if (c.topics) {
-        c.topics = _.map(c.topics,function(t) {
+        c.topics = c.topics.map(function(t) {
           return Discourse.Topic.create(t);
         });
       }
@@ -58,8 +63,9 @@ Discourse.CategoryList.reopenClass({
   },
 
   list: function(filter) {
-    var self = this;
-    var finder = null;
+    var self = this,
+        finder = null;
+
     if (filter === 'categories') {
       finder = PreloadStore.getAndRemove("categories_list", function() {
         return Discourse.ajax("/categories.json");
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/models/site.js b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/models/site.js
index b87424bdba4..40956e5b388 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/models/site.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/models/site.js
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ Discourse.Site.reopenClass(Discourse.Singleton, {
     var result = this._super(obj);
 
     if (result.categories) {
-      var byId = {}
+      var byId = {};
       result.categories = _.map(result.categories, function(c) {
         byId[c.id] = Discourse.Category.create(c);
         return byId[c.id];
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ Discourse.Site.reopenClass(Discourse.Singleton, {
         if (c.get('parent_category_id')) {
           c.set('parentCategory', byId[c.get('parent_category_id')]);
         }
-      })
+      });
     }
 
     if (result.trust_levels) {
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/models/topic_list.js b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/models/topic_list.js
index cbc83606b6f..97b6ea4ab73 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/models/topic_list.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/models/topic_list.js
@@ -83,9 +83,9 @@ Discourse.TopicList = Discourse.Model.extend({
 Discourse.TopicList.reopenClass({
 
   loadTopics: function(topic_ids, filter) {
-    var defer = new Ember.Deferred();
+    var defer = new Ember.Deferred(),
+        url = Discourse.getURL("/") + filter + "?topic_ids=" + topic_ids.join(",");
 
-    var url = Discourse.getURL("/") + filter + "?topic_ids=" + topic_ids.join(",");
     Discourse.ajax({url: url}).then(function (result) {
       if (result) {
         // the new topics loaded from the server
@@ -107,37 +107,45 @@ Discourse.TopicList.reopenClass({
     return defer;
   },
 
+  /**
+    Stitch together side loaded topic data
+
+    @method topicsFrom
+    @param {Object} JSON object with topic data
+    @returns {Array} the list of topics
+  **/
   topicsFrom: function(result) {
     // Stitch together our side loaded data
-    var categories, topics, users;
-    categories = this.extractByKey(result.categories, Discourse.Category);
-    users = this.extractByKey(result.users, Discourse.User);
-    topics = Em.A();
+    var categories = Discourse.Category.list(),
+        users = this.extractByKey(result.users, Discourse.User),
+        topics = Em.A();
 
-    _.each(result.topic_list.topics,function(ft) {
-      ft.category = categories[ft.category_id];
-      _.each(ft.posters,function(p) {
+    return result.topic_list.topics.map(function (t) {
+      t.category = categories.findBy('id', t.category_id);
+      t.posters.forEach(function(p) {
         p.user = users[p.user_id];
       });
-      topics.pushObject(Discourse.Topic.create(ft));
+      return Discourse.Topic.create(t);
     });
-    return topics;
   },
 
+  /**
+    Lists topics on a given menu item
+
+    @method list
+    @param {Object} The menu item to filter to
+    @returns {Promise} a promise that resolves to the list of topics
+  **/
   list: function(menuItem) {
-    var filter = menuItem.get('name');
+    var filter = menuItem.get('name'),
+        session = Discourse.Session.current(),
+        list = session.get('topicList');
 
-    var session = Discourse.Session.current();
-    var list = session.get('topicList');
-    if (list) {
-      if ((list.get('filter') === filter) && window.location.pathname.indexOf('more') > 0) {
-        list.set('loaded', true);
-        return Ember.RSVP.resolve(list);
-      }
+    if (list && (list.get('filter') === filter) && window.location.pathname.indexOf('more') > 0) {
+      list.set('loaded', true);
+      return Ember.RSVP.resolve(list);
     }
-
-    session.set('topicList', null);
-    session.set('topicListScrollPos', null);
+    session.setProperties({topicList: null, topicListScrollPos: null});
 
     return Discourse.TopicList.find(filter, menuItem.get('excludeCategory'));
   }
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/routes/application_route.js b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/routes/application_route.js
index 973b75a3ed8..d7af47b2f0d 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/routes/application_route.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/routes/application_route.js
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ Discourse.ApplicationRoute = Em.Route.extend({
         Discourse.Route.showModal(router, 'editCategory', category);
         router.controllerFor('editCategory').set('selectedTab', 'general');
       } else {
-        Discourse.Category.findBySlugOrId(category.get('slug') || category.get('id')).then(function (c) {
+        Discourse.Category.reloadBySlugOrId(category.get('slug') || category.get('id')).then(function (c) {
           Discourse.Site.current().updateCategory(c);
           Discourse.Route.showModal(router, 'editCategory', c);
           router.controllerFor('editCategory').set('selectedTab', 'general');
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/routes/application_routes.js b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/routes/application_routes.js
index 217439decac..7fd5c3756af 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/routes/application_routes.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/routes/application_routes.js
@@ -29,13 +29,14 @@ Discourse.Route.buildRoutes(function() {
     });
 
     // the homepage is the first item of the 'top_menu' site setting
-    var settings = Discourse.SiteSettings;
-    var homepage = settings.top_menu.split("|")[0].split(",")[0];
+    var homepage = Discourse.SiteSettings.top_menu.split("|")[0].split(",")[0];
     this.route(homepage, { path: '/' });
 
     this.route('categories', { path: '/categories' });
-    this.route('category', { path: '/category/:slug/more' });
     this.route('category', { path: '/category/:slug' });
+    this.route('category', { path: '/category/:slug/more' });
+    this.route('category', { path: '/category/:parentSlug/:slug' });
+    this.route('category', { path: '/category/:parentSlug/:slug/more' });
   });
 
   // User routes
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/routes/list_category_route.js b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/routes/list_category_route.js
index 631a4724258..38e2e264f84 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/routes/list_category_route.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/routes/list_category_route.js
@@ -9,21 +9,7 @@
 Discourse.ListCategoryRoute = Discourse.FilteredListRoute.extend({
 
   model: function(params) {
-    var categories = Discourse.Category.list();
-
-    var slug = Em.get(params, 'slug');
-
-    var uncategorized = Discourse.Category.uncategorizedInstance();
-    if (slug === uncategorized.get('slug')) return uncategorized;
-
-    var category = categories.findProperty('slug', Em.get(params, 'slug'));
-
-    // In case the slug didn't work, try to find it by id instead.
-    if (!category) {
-      category = categories.findProperty('id', parseInt(slug, 10));
-    }
-
-    return category;
+    return Discourse.Category.findBySlug(Em.get(params, 'slug'), Em.get(params, 'parentSlug'));
   },
 
   setupController: function(controller, category) {
@@ -35,16 +21,18 @@ Discourse.ListCategoryRoute = Discourse.FilteredListRoute.extend({
       }
     }
 
-    var listController = this.controllerFor('list');
-    var urlId = Discourse.Category.slugFor(category);
-    listController.set('filterMode', "category/" + urlId);
+    var listController = this.controllerFor('list'),
+        urlId = Discourse.Category.slugFor(category),
+        self = this;
 
-    var router = this;
+    listController.set('filterMode', "category/" + urlId);
     listController.load("category/" + urlId).then(function(topicList) {
-      listController.set('canCreateTopic', topicList.get('can_create_topic'));
-      listController.set('category', category);
-      router.controllerFor('listTopics').set('content', topicList);
-      router.controllerFor('listTopics').set('category', category);
+      listController.setProperties({
+        canCreateTopic: topicList.get('can_create_topic'),
+        category: category
+      });
+      self.controllerFor('listTopics').set('content', topicList);
+      self.controllerFor('listTopics').set('category', category);
     });
   },
 
diff --git a/app/controllers/list_controller.rb b/app/controllers/list_controller.rb
index ccda31279bc..d9146bf5909 100644
--- a/app/controllers/list_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/list_controller.rb
@@ -62,7 +62,12 @@ class ListController < ApplicationController
       @description = @category.description
     end
 
-    list.more_topics_url = url_for(category_list_path(params[:category], page: next_page, format: "json"))
+    if params[:parent_category].present?
+      list.more_topics_url = url_for(category_list_parent_path(params[:parent_category], params[:category], page: next_page, format: "json"))
+    else
+      list.more_topics_url = url_for(category_list_path(params[:category], page: next_page, format: "json"))
+    end
+
     respond(list)
   end
 
@@ -118,7 +123,18 @@ class ListController < ApplicationController
 
   def set_category
     slug = params.fetch(:category)
-    @category = Category.where("slug = ?", slug).includes(:featured_users).first || Category.where("id = ?", slug.to_i).includes(:featured_users).first
+    parent_slug = params[:parent_category]
+
+    parent_category_id = nil
+    if parent_slug.present?
+      parent_category_id = Category.where(slug: parent_slug).pluck(:id).first ||
+                           Category.where(id: parent_slug.to_i).pluck(:id).first
+
+      raise Discourse::NotFound.new if parent_category_id.blank?
+    end
+
+    @category = Category.where(slug: slug, parent_category_id: parent_category_id).includes(:featured_users).first ||
+                Category.where(id: slug.to_i, parent_category_id: parent_category_id).includes(:featured_users).first
   end
 
   def request_is_for_uncategorized?
diff --git a/app/serializers/basic_category_serializer.rb b/app/serializers/basic_category_serializer.rb
index 4b53d3f7179..60810ba6cee 100644
--- a/app/serializers/basic_category_serializer.rb
+++ b/app/serializers/basic_category_serializer.rb
@@ -13,4 +13,8 @@ class BasicCategorySerializer < ApplicationSerializer
              :permission,
              :parent_category_id
 
+  def include_parent_category_id?
+    parent_category_id
+  end
+
 end
diff --git a/app/serializers/category_detailed_serializer.rb b/app/serializers/category_detailed_serializer.rb
index 0971b5840ad..b4b31b2176e 100644
--- a/app/serializers/category_detailed_serializer.rb
+++ b/app/serializers/category_detailed_serializer.rb
@@ -1,16 +1,9 @@
-class CategoryDetailedSerializer < ApplicationSerializer
+class CategoryDetailedSerializer < BasicCategorySerializer
 
-  attributes :id,
-             :name,
-             :color,
-             :text_color,
-             :slug,
-             :topic_count,
-             :post_count,
+  attributes :post_count,
              :topics_week,
              :topics_month,
              :topics_year,
-             :description,
              :description_excerpt,
              :is_uncategorized
 
diff --git a/app/serializers/topic_list_item_serializer.rb b/app/serializers/topic_list_item_serializer.rb
index b8b4307e8d9..f90a96f7598 100644
--- a/app/serializers/topic_list_item_serializer.rb
+++ b/app/serializers/topic_list_item_serializer.rb
@@ -6,9 +6,9 @@ class TopicListItemSerializer < ListableTopicSerializer
              :has_best_of,
              :archetype,
              :rank_details,
-             :last_poster_username
+             :last_poster_username,
+             :category_id
 
-  has_one :category, serializer: BasicCategorySerializer
   has_many :posters, serializer: TopicPosterSerializer, embed: :objects
 
   def starred
diff --git a/config/routes.rb b/config/routes.rb
index 583c9dcfc05..2533fb16250 100644
--- a/config/routes.rb
+++ b/config/routes.rb
@@ -196,6 +196,7 @@ Discourse::Application.routes.draw do
 
   get 'category/:category.rss' => 'list#category_feed', format: :rss, as: 'category_feed'
   get 'category/:category' => 'list#category', as: 'category_list'
+  get 'category/:parent_category/:category' => 'list#category', as: 'category_list_parent'
   get 'category/:category/more' => 'list#category', as: 'category_list_more'
 
   # We've renamed popular to latest. If people access it we want a permanent redirect.
diff --git a/spec/controllers/list_controller_spec.rb b/spec/controllers/list_controller_spec.rb
index d53636a94a6..5254ba508c1 100644
--- a/spec/controllers/list_controller_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/controllers/list_controller_spec.rb
@@ -92,6 +92,35 @@ describe ListController do
         end
       end
 
+      context 'a child category' do
+        let(:sub_category) { Fabricate(:category, parent_category_id: category.id) }
+
+        context 'when parent and child are requested' do
+          before do
+            xhr :get, :category, parent_category: category.slug, category: sub_category.slug
+          end
+
+          it { should respond_with(:success) }
+        end
+
+        context 'when child is requested with the wrong parent' do
+          before do
+            xhr :get, :category, parent_category: 'not_the_right_slug', category: sub_category.slug
+          end
+
+          it { should_not respond_with(:success) }
+        end
+
+        context 'when child is requested without a parent' do
+          before do
+            xhr :get, :category, category: sub_category.slug
+          end
+
+          it { should_not respond_with(:success) }
+        end
+
+      end
+
       describe 'feed' do
         it 'renders RSS' do
           get :category_feed, category: category.slug, format: :rss
diff --git a/test/javascripts/models/category_test.js b/test/javascripts/models/category_test.js
index 3943562955d..269d9039bee 100644
--- a/test/javascripts/models/category_test.js
+++ b/test/javascripts/models/category_test.js
@@ -2,13 +2,39 @@ module("Discourse.Category");
 
 test('slugFor', function(){
 
-  var slugFor = function(args, val, text) {
-    equal(Discourse.Category.slugFor(args), val, text);
+  var slugFor = function(cat, val, text) {
+    equal(Discourse.Category.slugFor(cat), val, text);
   };
 
-  slugFor({slug: 'hello'}, "hello", "It calculates the proper slug for hello");
-  slugFor({id: 123, slug: ''}, "123-category", "It returns id-category for empty strings");
-  slugFor({id: 456}, "456-category", "It returns id-category for undefined slugs");
+  slugFor(Discourse.Category.create({slug: 'hello'}), "hello", "It calculates the proper slug for hello");
+  slugFor(Discourse.Category.create({id: 123, slug: ''}), "123-category", "It returns id-category for empty strings");
+  slugFor(Discourse.Category.create({id: 456}), "456-category", "It returns id-category for undefined slugs");
 
+  var parentCategory = Discourse.Category.create({id: 345, slug: 'darth'});
+  slugFor(Discourse.Category.create({slug: 'luke', parentCategory: parentCategory}),
+          "darth/luke",
+          "it uses the parent slug before the child");
+
+  slugFor(Discourse.Category.create({id: 555, parentCategory: parentCategory}),
+          "darth/555-category",
+          "it uses the parent slug before the child and then uses id");
+
+  parentCategory.set('slug', null);
+  slugFor(Discourse.Category.create({id: 555, parentCategory: parentCategory}),
+        "345-category/555-category",
+        "it uses the parent before the child and uses ids for both");
 });
 
+
+test('findBySlug', function() {
+  var darth = Discourse.Category.create({id: 1, slug: 'darth'}),
+      luke = Discourse.Category.create({id: 2, slug: 'luke', parentCategory: darth}),
+      categoryList = [darth, luke];
+
+  this.stub(Discourse.Category, 'list').returns(categoryList);
+
+  equal(Discourse.Category.findBySlug('darth'), darth, 'we can find a parent category');
+  equal(Discourse.Category.findBySlug('luke', 'darth'), luke, 'we can find a child with parent');
+  blank(Discourse.Category.findBySlug('luke'), 'luke is blank without the parent');
+  blank(Discourse.Category.findBySlug('luke', 'leia'), 'luke is blank with an incorrect parent');
+});
\ No newline at end of file