diff --git a/app/Http/Controllers/Category/ShowController.php b/app/Http/Controllers/Category/ShowController.php
index 4dc431ccfb..eb0e54edfd 100644
--- a/app/Http/Controllers/Category/ShowController.php
+++ b/app/Http/Controllers/Category/ShowController.php
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ use FireflyIII\Repositories\Journal\JournalRepositoryInterface;
 use FireflyIII\Support\CacheProperties;
 use Illuminate\Http\Request;
 use Illuminate\Support\Collection;
-
+use Log;
 
 /**
  *
@@ -88,10 +88,11 @@ class ShowController extends Controller
      */
     public function show(Request $request, Category $category, Carbon $start = null, Carbon $end = null)
     {
+        Log::debug('Now in show()');
         /** @var Carbon $start */
-        $start = $start ?? session('start');
+        $start = $start ?? session('start', Carbon::create()->startOfMonth());
         /** @var Carbon $end */
-        $end          = $end ?? session('end');
+        $end          = $end ?? session('end', Carbon::create()->startOfMonth());
         $subTitleIcon = 'fa-bar-chart';
         $moment       = '';
         $page         = (int)$request->get('page');
@@ -112,6 +113,8 @@ class ShowController extends Controller
         $transactions = $collector->getPaginatedJournals();
         $transactions->setPath($path);
 
+        Log::debug('End of show()');
+
         return view('categories.show', compact('category', 'transactions', 'moment', 'periods', 'subTitle', 'subTitleIcon', 'start', 'end'));
     }
 
diff --git a/tests/Feature/Controllers/Category/ShowControllerTest.php b/tests/Feature/Controllers/Category/ShowControllerTest.php
index b678a30176..f6a4eacf11 100644
--- a/tests/Feature/Controllers/Category/ShowControllerTest.php
+++ b/tests/Feature/Controllers/Category/ShowControllerTest.php
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ class ShowControllerTest extends TestCase
      */
     public function testShow(string $range): void
     {
-        Log::debug('Test show()');
+        Log::debug(sprintf('Test show(%s)', $range));
         $transaction   = factory(Transaction::class)->make();
         $categoryRepos = $this->mock(CategoryRepositoryInterface::class);
         $accountRepos  = $this->mock(AccountRepositoryInterface::class);
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ class ShowControllerTest extends TestCase
      */
     public function testShowAll(string $range): void
     {
-        Log::debug('Test showAll()');
+        Log::debug(sprintf('Test showAll(%s)', $range));
         // mock stuff
         $transaction  = factory(Transaction::class)->make();
         $journalRepos = $this->mock(JournalRepositoryInterface::class);
@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@ class ShowControllerTest extends TestCase
      */
     public function testShowByDate(string $range): void
     {
-        Log::debug('Test showbydate()');
+        Log::debug(sprintf('Test testShowByDate(%s)', $range));
         // mock stuff
         $transaction  = factory(Transaction::class)->make();
         $repository   = $this->mock(CategoryRepositoryInterface::class);
@@ -199,9 +199,12 @@ class ShowControllerTest extends TestCase
      */
     public function testShowEmpty(string $range): void
     {
-        Log::debug('Test showempty()');
+        $latestJournal = $this->user()->transactionJournals()
+            ->orderBy('date','DESC')->first();
+
+        Log::debug(sprintf('Test testShowEmpty(%s)', $range));
         $journalRepos = $this->mock(JournalRepositoryInterface::class);
-        $journalRepos->shouldReceive('firstNull')->twice()->andReturn(TransactionJournal::first());
+        $journalRepos->shouldReceive('firstNull')->twice()->andReturn($latestJournal);
 
         // mock stuff
         $repository = $this->mock(CategoryRepositoryInterface::class);