diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/models/category.js.es6 b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/models/category.js.es6
index 01e281c62b0..9c2576b1b4e 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/models/category.js.es6
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/models/category.js.es6
@@ -137,10 +137,13 @@ const Category = RestModel.extend({
   }.property('topics'),
 
   unreadTopics: function() {
+    // TODO this is somehow null for /categories page anon
+    if (!this.topicTrackingState) { return 0; }
     return this.topicTrackingState.countUnread(this.get('id'));
   }.property('topicTrackingState.messageCount'),
 
   newTopics: function() {
+    if (!this.topicTrackingState) { return 0; }
     return this.topicTrackingState.countNew(this.get('id'));
   }.property('topicTrackingState.messageCount'),