diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/models/category.js b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/models/category.js
index 452b2b89306..95c75709ba2 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/models/category.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/models/category.js
@@ -38,14 +38,14 @@ Discourse.Category = Discourse.Model.extend({
   },
 
   destroy: function(callback) {
-    return Discourse.ajax(Discourse.getURL("/categories/") + (this.get('slug')), { type: 'DELETE' });
+    return Discourse.ajax(Discourse.getURL("/categories/") + (this.get('slug') || this.get('id')), { type: 'DELETE' });
   }
 
 });
 
 Discourse.Category.reopenClass({
-  findBySlug: function(categorySlug) {
-    return Discourse.ajax({url: Discourse.getURL("/categories/") + categorySlug + ".json"}).then(function (result) {
+  findBySlugOrId: function(slugOrId) {
+    return Discourse.ajax({url: Discourse.getURL("/categories/") + slugOrId + ".json"}).then(function (result) {
       return Discourse.Category.create(result.category);
     });
   }
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/views/modal/edit_category_view.js b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/views/modal/edit_category_view.js
index 4990279feb3..279e09297be 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/views/modal/edit_category_view.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/views/modal/edit_category_view.js
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ Discourse.EditCategoryView = Discourse.ModalBodyView.extend({
       var categoryView = this;
 
       // We need the topic_count to be correct, so get the most up-to-date info about this category from the server.
-      Discourse.Category.findBySlug( this.get('category.slug') ).then( function(cat) {
+      Discourse.Category.findBySlugOrId( this.get('category.slug') || this.get('category.id') ).then( function(cat) {
         categoryView.set('category', cat);
         Discourse.get('site').updateCategory(cat);
         categoryView.set('id', categoryView.get('category.slug'));
diff --git a/app/controllers/categories_controller.rb b/app/controllers/categories_controller.rb
index 1c6a62c0e85..b5835edc309 100644
--- a/app/controllers/categories_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/categories_controller.rb
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ require_dependency 'category_serializer'
 class CategoriesController < ApplicationController
 
   before_filter :ensure_logged_in, except: [:index, :show]
+  before_filter :fetch_category, only: [:show, :update, :destroy]
 
   def index
     list = CategoryList.new(current_user)
@@ -11,7 +12,6 @@ class CategoriesController < ApplicationController
   end
 
   def show
-    @category = Category.where(slug: params[:id]).first
     render_serialized(@category, CategorySerializer)
   end
 
@@ -27,17 +27,13 @@ class CategoriesController < ApplicationController
 
   def update
     requires_parameters(*required_param_keys)
-
-    @category = Category.where(id: params[:id]).first
     guardian.ensure_can_edit!(@category)
-
     json_result(@category, serializer: CategorySerializer) { |cat| cat.update_attributes(category_params) }
   end
 
   def destroy
-    category = Category.where(slug: params[:id]).first
-    guardian.ensure_can_delete!(category)
-    category.destroy
+    guardian.ensure_can_delete!(@category)
+    @category.destroy
     render nothing: true
   end
 
@@ -54,4 +50,8 @@ class CategoriesController < ApplicationController
     def category_params
       params.slice(*category_param_keys)
     end
+
+    def fetch_category
+      @category = Category.where(slug: params[:id]).first || Category.where(id: params[:id].to_i).first
+    end
 end