diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/components/user-preferences/categories.hbs b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/components/user-preferences/categories.hbs
index b5a2bb12dbe..74160c9b62c 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/components/user-preferences/categories.hbs
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/components/user-preferences/categories.hbs
@@ -9,8 +9,8 @@
         }}</a>
     {{/if}}
     <CategorySelector
-      @categoryIds={{@model.watched_category_ids}}
-      @blockedCategoryIds={{@selectedCategoryIds}}
+      @categories={{@model.watchedCategories}}
+      @blockedCategories={{@selectedCategories}}
       @onChange={{action (mut @model.watchedCategories)}}
     />
   </div>
@@ -26,8 +26,8 @@
         }}</a>
     {{/if}}
     <CategorySelector
-      @categoryIds={{@model.tracked_category_ids}}
-      @blockedCategoryIds={{@selectedCategoryIds}}
+      @categories={{@model.trackedCategories}}
+      @blockedCategories={{@selectedCategories}}
       @onChange={{action (mut @model.trackedCategories)}}
     />
   </div>
@@ -41,8 +41,8 @@
     <label>{{d-icon "d-watching-first"}}
       {{i18n "user.watched_first_post_categories"}}</label>
     <CategorySelector
-      @categoryIds={{@model.watched_first_post_category_ids}}
-      @blockedCategoryIds={{@selectedCategoryIds}}
+      @categories={{@model.watchedFirstPostCategories}}
+      @blockedCategories={{@selectedCategories}}
       @onChange={{action (mut @model.watchedFirstPostCategories)}}
     />
   </div>
@@ -56,8 +56,8 @@
     >
       <label>{{d-icon "d-regular"}} {{i18n "user.regular_categories"}}</label>
       <CategorySelector
-        @categoryIds={{@model.regular_category_ids}}
-        @blockedCategoryIds={{@selectedCategoryIds}}
+        @categories={{@model.regularCategories}}
+        @blockedCategories={{@selectedCategories}}
         @onChange={{action (mut @model.regularCategories)}}
       />
     </div>
@@ -75,8 +75,8 @@
       {{/if}}
 
       <CategorySelector
-        @categoryIds={{@model.muted_category_ids}}
-        @blockedCategoryIds={{@selectedCategoryIds}}
+        @categories={{@model.mutedCategories}}
+        @blockedCategories={{@selectedCategories}}
         @onChange={{action (mut @model.mutedCategories)}}
       />
     </div>
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/controllers/group-manage-categories.js b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/controllers/group-manage-categories.js
index 9c056f91be1..dbbe4b21e01 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/controllers/group-manage-categories.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/controllers/group-manage-categories.js
@@ -3,13 +3,15 @@ import discourseComputed from "discourse-common/utils/decorators";
 
 export default Controller.extend({
   @discourseComputed(
-    "model.watching_category_ids.[]",
-    "model.watching_first_post_category_ids.[]",
-    "model.tracking_category_ids.[]",
-    "model.regular_category_ids.[]",
-    "model.muted_category_ids.[]"
+    "model.watchingCategories.[]",
+    "model.watchingFirstPostCategories.[]",
+    "model.trackingCategories.[]",
+    "model.regularCategories.[]",
+    "model.mutedCategories.[]"
   )
-  selectedCategoryIds(watching, watchingFirst, tracking, regular, muted) {
-    return [].concat(watching, watchingFirst, tracking, regular, muted);
+  selectedCategories(watching, watchingFirst, tracking, regular, muted) {
+    return []
+      .concat(watching, watchingFirst, tracking, regular, muted)
+      .filter(Boolean);
   },
 });
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/controllers/preferences/categories.js b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/controllers/preferences/categories.js
index 3368c5f327b..9be58acd0c0 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/controllers/preferences/categories.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/controllers/preferences/categories.js
@@ -17,14 +17,14 @@ export default Controller.extend({
   },
 
   @discourseComputed(
-    "model.watched_categoriy_ids",
-    "model.watched_first_post_categoriy_ids",
-    "model.tracked_categoriy_ids",
-    "model.muted_categoriy_ids",
-    "model.regular_category_ids",
+    "model.watchedCategories",
+    "model.watchedFirstPostCategories",
+    "model.trackedCategories",
+    "model.mutedCategories",
+    "model.regularCategories",
     "siteSettings.mute_all_categories_by_default"
   )
-  selectedCategoryIds(
+  selectedCategories(
     watched,
     watchedFirst,
     tracked,
@@ -32,12 +32,14 @@ export default Controller.extend({
     regular,
     muteAllCategoriesByDefault
   ) {
-    return [].concat(
-      watched,
-      watchedFirst,
-      tracked,
-      muteAllCategoriesByDefault ? regular : muted
-    );
+    return []
+      .concat(
+        watched,
+        watchedFirst,
+        tracked,
+        muteAllCategoriesByDefault ? regular : muted
+      )
+      .filter(Boolean);
   },
 
   @discourseComputed
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/controllers/preferences/tracking.js b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/controllers/preferences/tracking.js
index 7522182373e..dd041b2f5b5 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/controllers/preferences/tracking.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/controllers/preferences/tracking.js
@@ -122,22 +122,24 @@ export default class extends Controller {
   }
 
   @computed(
-    "model.watched_category_ids",
-    "model.watched_first_post_category_ids",
-    "model.tracked_category_ids",
-    "model.muted_category_ids",
-    "model.regular_category_ids",
+    "model.watchedCategories",
+    "model.watchedFirstPostCategories",
+    "model.trackedCategories",
+    "model.mutedCategories",
+    "model.regularCategories",
     "siteSettings.mute_all_categories_by_default"
   )
-  get selectedCategoryIds() {
-    return [].concat(
-      this.model.watched_category_ids,
-      this.model.watched_first_post_category_ids,
-      this.model.tracked_category_ids,
-      this.siteSettings.mute_all_categories_by_default
-        ? this.model.regular_category_ids
-        : this.model.muted_category_ids
-    );
+  get selectedCategories() {
+    return []
+      .concat(
+        this.model.watchedCategories,
+        this.model.watchedFirstPostCategories,
+        this.model.trackedCategories,
+        this.siteSettings.mute_all_categories_by_default
+          ? this.model.regularCategories
+          : this.model.mutedCategories
+      )
+      .filter(Boolean);
   }
 
   @computed("siteSettings.remove_muted_tags_from_latest")
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/models/group.js b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/models/group.js
index 203023e2d24..f55dd81028b 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/models/group.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/models/group.js
@@ -200,6 +200,15 @@ const Group = RestModel.extend({
 
   @dependentKeyCompat
   get watchingCategories() {
+    if (
+      this.siteSettings.lazy_load_categories &&
+      !Category.hasAsyncFoundAll(this.watching_category_ids)
+    ) {
+      Category.asyncFindByIds(this.watching_category_ids).then(() =>
+        this.notifyPropertyChange("watching_category_ids")
+      );
+    }
+
     return Category.findByIds(this.get("watching_category_ids"));
   },
 
@@ -212,6 +221,15 @@ const Group = RestModel.extend({
 
   @dependentKeyCompat
   get trackingCategories() {
+    if (
+      this.siteSettings.lazy_load_categories &&
+      !Category.hasAsyncFoundAll(this.tracking_category_ids)
+    ) {
+      Category.asyncFindByIds(this.tracking_category_ids).then(() =>
+        this.notifyPropertyChange("tracking_category_ids")
+      );
+    }
+
     return Category.findByIds(this.get("tracking_category_ids"));
   },
 
@@ -224,6 +242,15 @@ const Group = RestModel.extend({
 
   @dependentKeyCompat
   get watchingFirstPostCategories() {
+    if (
+      this.siteSettings.lazy_load_categories &&
+      !Category.hasAsyncFoundAll(this.watching_first_post_category_ids)
+    ) {
+      Category.asyncFindByIds(this.watching_first_post_category_ids).then(() =>
+        this.notifyPropertyChange("watching_first_post_category_ids")
+      );
+    }
+
     return Category.findByIds(this.get("watching_first_post_category_ids"));
   },
 
@@ -236,6 +263,15 @@ const Group = RestModel.extend({
 
   @dependentKeyCompat
   get regularCategories() {
+    if (
+      this.siteSettings.lazy_load_categories &&
+      !Category.hasAsyncFoundAll(this.regular_category_ids)
+    ) {
+      Category.asyncFindByIds(this.regular_category_ids).then(() =>
+        this.notifyPropertyChange("regular_category_ids")
+      );
+    }
+
     return Category.findByIds(this.get("regular_category_ids"));
   },
 
@@ -248,6 +284,15 @@ const Group = RestModel.extend({
 
   @dependentKeyCompat
   get mutedCategories() {
+    if (
+      this.siteSettings.lazy_load_categories &&
+      !Category.hasAsyncFoundAll(this.muted_category_ids)
+    ) {
+      Category.asyncFindByIds(this.muted_category_ids).then(() =>
+        this.notifyPropertyChange("muted_category_ids")
+      );
+    }
+
     return Category.findByIds(this.get("muted_category_ids"));
   },
 
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/models/user.js b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/models/user.js
index aea705bb47a..3170daf909d 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/models/user.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/models/user.js
@@ -856,6 +856,15 @@ const User = RestModel.extend({
 
   @dependentKeyCompat
   get mutedCategories() {
+    if (
+      this.siteSettings.lazy_load_categories &&
+      !Category.hasAsyncFoundAll(this.muted_category_ids)
+    ) {
+      Category.asyncFindByIds(this.muted_category_ids).then(() =>
+        this.notifyPropertyChange("muted_category_ids")
+      );
+    }
+
     return Category.findByIds(this.get("muted_category_ids"));
   },
   set mutedCategories(categories) {
@@ -867,6 +876,15 @@ const User = RestModel.extend({
 
   @dependentKeyCompat
   get regularCategories() {
+    if (
+      this.siteSettings.lazy_load_categories &&
+      !Category.hasAsyncFoundAll(this.regular_category_ids)
+    ) {
+      Category.asyncFindByIds(this.regular_category_ids).then(() =>
+        this.notifyPropertyChange("regular_category_ids")
+      );
+    }
+
     return Category.findByIds(this.get("regular_category_ids"));
   },
   set regularCategories(categories) {
@@ -878,6 +896,15 @@ const User = RestModel.extend({
 
   @dependentKeyCompat
   get trackedCategories() {
+    if (
+      this.siteSettings.lazy_load_categories &&
+      !Category.hasAsyncFoundAll(this.tracked_category_ids)
+    ) {
+      Category.asyncFindByIds(this.tracked_category_ids).then(() =>
+        this.notifyPropertyChange("tracked_category_ids")
+      );
+    }
+
     return Category.findByIds(this.get("tracked_category_ids"));
   },
   set trackedCategories(categories) {
@@ -889,6 +916,15 @@ const User = RestModel.extend({
 
   @dependentKeyCompat
   get watchedCategories() {
+    if (
+      this.siteSettings.lazy_load_categories &&
+      !Category.hasAsyncFoundAll(this.watched_category_ids)
+    ) {
+      Category.asyncFindByIds(this.watched_category_ids).then(() =>
+        this.notifyPropertyChange("watched_category_ids")
+      );
+    }
+
     return Category.findByIds(this.get("watched_category_ids"));
   },
   set watchedCategories(categories) {
@@ -900,6 +936,15 @@ const User = RestModel.extend({
 
   @dependentKeyCompat
   get watchedFirstPostCategories() {
+    if (
+      this.siteSettings.lazy_load_categories &&
+      !Category.hasAsyncFoundAll(this.watched_first_post_category_ids)
+    ) {
+      Category.asyncFindByIds(this.watched_first_post_category_ids).then(() =>
+        this.notifyPropertyChange("watched_first_post_category_ids")
+      );
+    }
+
     return Category.findByIds(this.get("watched_first_post_category_ids"));
   },
   set watchedFirstPostCategories(categories) {
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/templates/group/manage/categories.hbs b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/templates/group/manage/categories.hbs
index 7dd6411dcb7..351e7acfa82 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/templates/group/manage/categories.hbs
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/templates/group/manage/categories.hbs
@@ -11,8 +11,8 @@
       {{i18n "groups.notifications.watching.title"}}</label>
 
     <CategorySelector
-      @categoryIds={{this.model.watching_category_ids}}
-      @blockedCategoryIds={{this.selectedCategoryIds}}
+      @categories={{this.model.watchingCategories}}
+      @blockedCategories={{this.selectedCategories}}
       @onChange={{action (mut this.model.watchingCategories)}}
     />
 
@@ -26,8 +26,8 @@
       {{i18n "groups.notifications.tracking.title"}}</label>
 
     <CategorySelector
-      @categoryIds={{this.model.tracking_category_ids}}
-      @blockedCategoryIds={{this.selectedCategoryIds}}
+      @categories={{this.model.trackingCategories}}
+      @blockedCategories={{this.selectedCategories}}
       @onChange={{action (mut this.model.trackingCategories)}}
     />
 
@@ -41,8 +41,8 @@
       {{i18n "groups.notifications.watching_first_post.title"}}</label>
 
     <CategorySelector
-      @categoryIds={{this.model.watching_first_post_category_ids}}
-      @blockedCategoryIds={{this.selectedCategoryIds}}
+      @categories={{this.model.watchingFirstPostCategories}}
+      @blockedCategories={{this.selectedCategories}}
       @onChange={{action (mut this.model.watchingFirstPostCategories)}}
     />
 
@@ -58,8 +58,8 @@
       {{i18n "groups.notifications.regular.title"}}</label>
 
     <CategorySelector
-      @categoryIds={{this.model.regular_category_ids}}
-      @blockedCategoryIds={{this.selectedCategoryIds}}
+      @categories={{this.model.regularCategories}}
+      @blockedCategories={{this.selectedCategories}}
       @onChange={{action (mut this.model.regularCategories)}}
     />
 
@@ -73,8 +73,8 @@
       {{i18n "groups.notifications.muted.title"}}</label>
 
     <CategorySelector
-      @categoryIds={{this.model.muted_category_ids}}
-      @blockedCategoryIds={{this.selectedCategoryIds}}
+      @categories={{this.model.mutedCategories}}
+      @blockedCategories={{this.selectedCategories}}
       @onChange={{action (mut this.model.mutedCategories)}}
     />
 
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/templates/preferences/categories.hbs b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/templates/preferences/categories.hbs
index 15e7e0a8732..c9a5517f73f 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/templates/preferences/categories.hbs
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/templates/preferences/categories.hbs
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 <UserPreferences::Categories
   @canSee={{this.canSee}}
   @model={{this.model}}
-  @selectedCategoryIds={{this.selectedCategoryIds}}
+  @selectedCategories={{this.selectedCategories}}
   @hideMutedTags={{this.hideMutedTags}}
   @save={{action "save"}}
   @siteSettings={{this.siteSettings}}
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/templates/preferences/tracking.hbs b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/templates/preferences/tracking.hbs
index 75545ae168d..2756e30642d 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/templates/preferences/tracking.hbs
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/templates/preferences/tracking.hbs
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@
     <UserPreferences::Categories
       @canSee={{this.canSee}}
       @model={{this.model}}
-      @selectedCategoryIds={{this.selectedCategoryIds}}
+      @selectedCategories={{this.selectedCategories}}
       @hideMutedTags={{this.hideMutedTags}}
       @siteSettings={{this.siteSettings}}
     />
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/select-kit/addon/components/category-chooser.js b/app/assets/javascripts/select-kit/addon/components/category-chooser.js
index d6a5e56b0e7..3dcd570b568 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/select-kit/addon/components/category-chooser.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/select-kit/addon/components/category-chooser.js
@@ -31,6 +31,8 @@ export default ComboBoxComponent.extend({
       this.siteSettings.lazy_load_categories &&
       !Category.hasAsyncFoundAll([this.value])
     ) {
+      // eslint-disable-next-line no-console
+      console.warn("Category selected with category-chooser was not loaded");
       Category.asyncFindByIds([this.value]).then(() => {
         this.notifyPropertyChange("value");
       });
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/select-kit/addon/components/category-selector.js b/app/assets/javascripts/select-kit/addon/components/category-selector.js
index 1f3722f097f..4d54036e425 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/select-kit/addon/components/category-selector.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/select-kit/addon/components/category-selector.js
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
-import { computed, defineProperty } from "@ember/object";
+import { computed } from "@ember/object";
+import { mapBy } from "@ember/object/computed";
 import Category from "discourse/models/category";
 import { makeArray } from "discourse-common/lib/helpers";
 import MultiSelectComponent from "select-kit/components/multi-select";
@@ -20,47 +21,12 @@ export default MultiSelectComponent.extend({
   init() {
     this._super(...arguments);
 
-    if (this.categories && !this.categoryIds) {
-      defineProperty(
-        this,
-        "categoryIds",
-        computed("categories.[]", function () {
-          return this.categories.map((c) => c.id);
-        })
-      );
-    }
-
-    if (this.blockedCategories && !this.blockedCategoryIds) {
-      defineProperty(
-        this,
-        "blockedCategoryIds",
-        computed("blockedCategories.[]", function () {
-          return this.blockedCategories.map((c) => c.id);
-        })
-      );
-    } else if (!this.blockedCategoryIds) {
-      this.set("blockedCategoryIds", []);
-    }
-
-    if (this.siteSettings.lazy_load_categories) {
-      const allCategoryIds = [
-        ...new Set([...this.categoryIds, ...this.blockedCategoryIds]),
-      ];
-
-      if (!Category.hasAsyncFoundAll(allCategoryIds)) {
-        Category.asyncFindByIds(allCategoryIds).then(() => {
-          this.notifyPropertyChange("categoryIds");
-          this.notifyPropertyChange("blockedCategoryIds");
-        });
-      }
+    if (!this.blockedCategories) {
+      this.set("blockedCategories", []);
     }
   },
 
-  content: computed("categoryIds.[]", "blockedCategoryIds.[]", function () {
-    if (this.siteSettings.lazy_load_categories) {
-      return Category.findByIds(this.categoryIds);
-    }
-
+  content: computed("categories.[]", "blockedCategories.[]", function () {
     return Category.list().filter((category) => {
       if (category.isUncategorizedCategory) {
         if (this.options?.allowUncategorized !== undefined) {
@@ -71,15 +37,13 @@ export default MultiSelectComponent.extend({
       }
 
       return (
-        this.categoryIds.includes(category.id) ||
-        !this.blockedCategoryIds.includes(category.id)
+        this.categories.includes(category) ||
+        !this.blockedCategories.includes(category)
       );
     });
   }),
 
-  value: computed("categoryIds.[]", function () {
-    return this.categoryIds;
-  }),
+  value: mapBy("categories", "id"),
 
   modifyComponentForRow() {
     return "category-row";
@@ -91,8 +55,8 @@ export default MultiSelectComponent.extend({
     }
 
     const rejectCategoryIds = new Set([
-      ...(this.categoryIds || []),
-      ...(this.blockedCategoryIds || []),
+      ...this.categories.map((c) => c.id),
+      ...this.blockedCategories.map((c) => c.id),
     ]);
 
     return await Category.asyncSearch(filter, {