diff --git a/app/models/category.rb b/app/models/category.rb
index 27cbe2095ca..2432b3a1c2d 100644
--- a/app/models/category.rb
+++ b/app/models/category.rb
@@ -50,11 +50,19 @@ class Category < ActiveRecord::Base
   }
 
   scope :topic_create_allowed, ->(guardian) {
-    scoped_to_permissions(guardian, [:full])
+    if guardian.anonymous?
+      where("1=0")
+    else
+      scoped_to_permissions(guardian, [:full])
+    end
   }
 
   scope :post_create_allowed, ->(guardian) {
-    scoped_to_permissions(guardian, [:create_post, :full])
+    if guardian.anonymous?
+      where("1=0")
+    else
+      scoped_to_permissions(guardian, [:create_post, :full])
+    end
   }
   delegate :post_template, to: 'self.class'
 
diff --git a/spec/models/category_spec.rb b/spec/models/category_spec.rb
index df4353556f7..75dcb9c4613 100644
--- a/spec/models/category_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/category_spec.rb
@@ -67,14 +67,15 @@ describe Category do
       can_post_category.save
 
       Category.post_create_allowed(guardian).count.should == 3
+
+      # anonymous has permission to create no topics
+      guardian = Guardian.new(nil)
+      Category.post_create_allowed(guardian).count.should == 0
+
     end
 
   end
 
-  describe "post_create_allowed" do
-
-  end
-
   describe "security" do
     let(:category) { Fabricate(:category) }
     let(:category_2) { Fabricate(:category) }