diff --git a/UI/Templates/ContactsUI/UIxContactEditorTemplate.wox b/UI/Templates/ContactsUI/UIxContactEditorTemplate.wox
index f162036d8..d4503459d 100644
--- a/UI/Templates/ContactsUI/UIxContactEditorTemplate.wox
+++ b/UI/Templates/ContactsUI/UIxContactEditorTemplate.wox
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@
 
           <!-- categories -->
           <md-chips ng-model="editor.card.categories"
-                    md-transform-chip="{ value: $chip }">
+                    md-transform-chip="editor.transformCategory($chip)">
             <md-chip-template>{{$chip.value}}</md-chip-template>
             <md-autocomplete
                 md-selected-item="editor.categories.selected"
diff --git a/UI/WebServerResources/js/Contacts/Card.service.js b/UI/WebServerResources/js/Contacts/Card.service.js
index 053c63e77..a66293e1d 100644
--- a/UI/WebServerResources/js/Contacts/Card.service.js
+++ b/UI/WebServerResources/js/Contacts/Card.service.js
@@ -129,6 +129,7 @@
    */
   Card.prototype.init = function(data, partial) {
     this.refs = [];
+    this.categories = [];
     angular.extend(this, data);
     if (!this.$$fullname)
       this.$$fullname = this.$fullname();
@@ -316,22 +317,22 @@
     return this.orgUnits.length - 1;
   };
 
-  Card.prototype.$addCategory = function(category) {
-    if (category) {
-      if (angular.isUndefined(this.categories)) {
-        this.categories = [{value: category}];
-      }
-      else {
-        for (var i = 0; i < this.categories.length; i++) {
-          if (this.categories[i].value == category) {
-            break;
-          }
-        }
-        if (i == this.categories.length)
-          this.categories.push({value: category});
-      }
-    }
-  };
+  // Card.prototype.$addCategory = function(category) {
+  //   if (category) {
+  //     if (angular.isUndefined(this.categories)) {
+  //       this.categories = [{value: category}];
+  //     }
+  //     else {
+  //       for (var i = 0; i < this.categories.length; i++) {
+  //         if (this.categories[i].value == category) {
+  //           break;
+  //         }
+  //       }
+  //       if (i == this.categories.length)
+  //         this.categories.push({value: category});
+  //     }
+  //   }
+  // };
 
   Card.prototype.$addEmail = function(type) {
     if (angular.isUndefined(this.emails)) {
diff --git a/UI/WebServerResources/js/Contacts/CardController.js b/UI/WebServerResources/js/Contacts/CardController.js
index b41e9ac6d..76850727c 100644
--- a/UI/WebServerResources/js/Contacts/CardController.js
+++ b/UI/WebServerResources/js/Contacts/CardController.js
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
     vm.allAddressTypes = Card.$ADDRESS_TYPES;
     vm.categories = {};
     vm.userFilterResults = [];
+    vm.transformCategory = transformCategory;
     vm.addOrgUnit = addOrgUnit;
     vm.addBirthday = addBirthday;
     vm.addScreenName = addScreenName;
@@ -38,6 +39,12 @@
     vm.toggleRawSource = toggleRawSource;
     vm.showRawSource = false;
 
+    function transformCategory(input) {
+      if (angular.isString(input))
+        return { value: input };
+      else
+        return input;
+    }
     function addOrgUnit() {
       var i = vm.card.$addOrgUnit('');
       focus('orgUnit_' + i);