Required category check bypassed in client side

Priority/Severity: Low.

Platform: Tested in desktop, Chrome.

Hi! This is about creating a new topic having “allow uncategorized topics” site setting disabled.
In the modal, seems like it is already checking client side that the category is not empty.

However, when you provide valid Title and Post content and send it, the form is actually sent, but server (I think) returns a different error, in a modal:

Category can’t be blank

So in the end you can not create the topic, but I think it is supposed to prevent the form to be sent in the first place right? Just like the other client(red) validation erros.

Extra: Is it possible to change the text for “category…” in the select category placeholder? I have searched for it in theme translations and looked for references in the repository code, but had no luck.

Sorry about the lack of images, I’m new and can only upload one per post.

I tried to replicate your issue and failed.

an error popped up

I can replicate.

If left empty, the “title is required” and “post can’t be empty” warnings visually bounce, and the topic stays in the composer.

If it’s only the “You must choose a category” warning, then the topic gets ‘sent’ and an error modal pops up (“Category can’t be blank”)

I’m not sure if it’s a bug, or it just handles this validation differently?


I think it is possible to change the placeholders in the composer, though you may need to write up a bit of custom code to add to your theme. I’m afraid it’s out of my skill level, but you may get more attention if you start a new #support topic asking about that specifically.

It looks like that is hard coded into the drop down.