diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/models/composer.js.es6 b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/models/composer.js.es6
index 6863433cfe5..bb833c7c1c7 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/models/composer.js.es6
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/models/composer.js.es6
@@ -143,7 +143,8 @@ const Composer = RestModel.extend({
     if (!this.siteSettings.topic_featured_link_enabled || !canEditTitle || creatingPrivateMessage) { return false; }
 
     const categoryIds = this.site.get('topic_featured_link_allowed_category_ids');
-    if (!categoryId && categoryIds && categoryIds.indexOf(this.site.get('uncategorized_category_id')) !== -1) { return true; }
+    if (!categoryId && categoryIds &&
+          (categoryIds.indexOf(this.site.get('uncategorized_category_id')) !== -1 || !this.siteSettings.allow_uncategorized_topics)) { return true; }
     return categoryIds === undefined || !categoryIds.length || categoryIds.indexOf(categoryId) !== -1;
   },
 
diff --git a/test/javascripts/models/composer-test.js.es6 b/test/javascripts/models/composer-test.js.es6
index 86208aa5843..d7bcf53af7c 100644
--- a/test/javascripts/models/composer-test.js.es6
+++ b/test/javascripts/models/composer-test.js.es6
@@ -248,3 +248,11 @@ test("title placeholder depends on what you're doing", function() {
   composer = createComposer({action: Composer.PRIVATE_MESSAGE});
   equal(composer.get('titlePlaceholder'), 'composer.title_placeholder', "placeholder for private message with topic links enabled");
 });
+
+test("allows featured link before choosing a category", function() {
+  Discourse.SiteSettings.topic_featured_link_enabled = true;
+  Discourse.SiteSettings.allow_uncategorized_topics = false;
+  let composer = createComposer({action: Composer.CREATE_TOPIC});
+  equal(composer.get('titlePlaceholder'), 'composer.title_or_link_placeholder', "placeholder invites you to paste a link");
+  ok(composer.get('canEditTopicFeaturedLink'), "can paste link");
+});