diff --git a/app/controllers/list_controller.rb b/app/controllers/list_controller.rb
index 6913ea6b862..a1c4c0ed098 100644
--- a/app/controllers/list_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/list_controller.rb
@@ -214,13 +214,12 @@ class ListController < ApplicationController
 
     parent_category_id = nil
     if parent_slug_or_id.present?
-      parent_category_id = Category.where(slug: parent_slug_or_id).pluck(:id).first ||
-                           Category.where(id: parent_slug_or_id.to_i).pluck(:id).first
+      parent_category_id = Category.query_parent_category(parent_slug_or_id)
       raise Discourse::NotFound.new if parent_category_id.blank?
     end
 
-    @category = Category.where(slug: slug_or_id, parent_category_id: parent_category_id).includes(:featured_users).first ||
-                Category.where(id: slug_or_id.to_i, parent_category_id: parent_category_id).includes(:featured_users).first
+    @category = Category.query_category(slug_or_id, parent_category_id)
+
     guardian.ensure_can_see!(@category)
 
     raise Discourse::NotFound.new if @category.blank?
diff --git a/app/models/category.rb b/app/models/category.rb
index 33f27808f4b..25f6c6fbf9b 100644
--- a/app/models/category.rb
+++ b/app/models/category.rb
@@ -340,6 +340,16 @@ SQL
     [read_restricted, mapped]
   end
 
+  def self.query_parent_category(parent_slug)
+    self.where(slug: parent_slug).pluck(:id).first ||
+    self.where(id: parent_slug.to_i).pluck(:id).first
+  end
+
+  def self.query_category(slug, parent_category_id)
+    self.where(slug: slug, parent_category_id: parent_category_id).includes(:featured_users).first ||
+    self.where(id: slug.to_i, parent_category_id: parent_category_id).includes(:featured_users).first
+  end
+
   def uncategorized?
     id == SiteSetting.uncategorized_category_id
   end
diff --git a/spec/models/category_spec.rb b/spec/models/category_spec.rb
index 11f9e32cab8..2aec9b9a3e8 100644
--- a/spec/models/category_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/category_spec.rb
@@ -372,6 +372,21 @@ describe Category do
 
     end
 
+    describe ".query_parent_category" do
+      it "should return the parent category id given a parent slug" do
+        parent_category.name = "Amazing Category"
+        parent_category.id.should == Category.query_parent_category(parent_category.slug)
+      end
+    end
+
+    describe ".query_category" do
+      it "should return the category" do
+        category = Fabricate(:category, name: "Amazing Category", parent_category_id: parent_category.id, user: user)
+        parent_category.name = "Amazing Parent Category"
+        category.should == Category.query_category(category.slug, parent_category.id)
+      end
+    end
+
   end
 
 end