# Create-restricted category, "new topic" does not list any categories **URL:** \ **Category:** Feature\ **Created:** [January 20, 2016, 9:37am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/create-restricted-category-new-topic-does-not-list-any-categories/38231 "2016-01-20T09:37:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![fbender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/meta/user_avatar/meta.discourse.org/fbender/32/116736_2.png) [@fbender](https://meta.discourse.org/u/fbender)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2016, 9:37am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/create-restricted-category-new-topic-does-not-list-any-categories/38231/1 "2016-01-20T09:37:54Z")
On a Discourse instance I support, there is a category where only employees can create new topics but other registered users can read & reply. Those regular users can visit the category and click on “New Topic”, the editor appears. However, they cannot select a topic category since the _category dropdown is empty_, and thus they are unable to post their topic at all (neither in the category they are in, nor any other category). When I visit e.g. the #News and Events > Blog category on Meta, the “New Topic” button is grayed-out and cannot be clicked (“forbidden” sign appears instead of mouse – though no explanation text appears on why I cannot click the button). I don’t know if the bug has already been fixed upstream or the category settings are different. Category settings: - everyone can read & reply - employees can read, create & reply System setup: - category-oriented, topics cannot be uncategorized - SSO with existing CMS, access restricted to logged-in users only - 2 admins and no moderators (thus only 2 employees) - users are auto-assigned TL1 upon first login - self-hosted v1.4.3 install (tracking the stable branch) To conclude, this report is about 1. UX issue: lack of user-visible information on why s/he cannot create a new topic and/or a visual indicator and a message that s/he is not allowed to create a new topic in this category (similar to what I see in Meta’s #News and Events > Blog category) 2. bug: category list may be empty / user is unable to select a topic category Thank you & best regards! ---
**Author:** ![codinghorror](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/meta/user_avatar/meta.discourse.org/codinghorror/32/110067_2.png) [@codinghorror](https://meta.discourse.org/u/codinghorror)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2016, 9:42am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/create-restricted-category-new-topic-does-not-list-any-categories/38231/2 "2016-01-20T09:42:13Z")
> [@fbender](#): > > I don’t know if the bug has already been fixed upstream or the category settings are different. When you view source what is the version printed in the source? ---
**Author:** ![fbender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/meta/user_avatar/meta.discourse.org/fbender/32/116736_2.png) [@fbender](https://meta.discourse.org/u/fbender)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2016, 9:50am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/create-restricted-category-new-topic-does-not-list-any-categories/38231/3 "2016-01-20T09:50:07Z")
On Meta: 1.5.0v8 Affected install: 1.4.3 So it may have been fixed already, but I could not find a bug report for it here, thus I posted this one 🙂. I’ll try and see if I can install a local `tests-passed` version with a backup of the affected install but it will take a couple of days until I can get to that. ---
**Author:** ![riking](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/meta/user_avatar/meta.discourse.org/riking/32/170938_2.png) [@riking](https://meta.discourse.org/u/riking)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2016, 12:42am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/create-restricted-category-new-topic-does-not-list-any-categories/38231/4 "2016-01-24T00:42:12Z")
This is an interaction between: - filtering to subcategories in the create dialog - filtering out categories you cannot post in ---
**Author:** ![chapoi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/meta/user_avatar/meta.discourse.org/chapoi/32/537252_2.png) [@chapoi](https://meta.discourse.org/u/chapoi)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2025, 4:56pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/create-restricted-category-new-topic-does-not-list-any-categories/38231/5 "2025-12-04T16:56:42Z")