diff --git a/phpgwapi/inc/class.categories.inc.php b/phpgwapi/inc/class.categories.inc.php
index 2a6c901337..fdc1657c5a 100644
--- a/phpgwapi/inc/class.categories.inc.php
+++ b/phpgwapi/inc/class.categories.inc.php
@@ -495,9 +495,9 @@
 
 			if (!$cat_values['parent'] || $cat_values['parent'] == 0)
 			{
-				$this->db->query("SELECT MAX(cat_id) AS max FROM phpgw_categories",__LINE__,__FILE__);
+				$this->db->query("SELECT MAX(cat_id) FROM phpgw_categories",__LINE__,__FILE__);
 				$this->db->next_record();
-				$max = $this->db->f('max');
+				$max = $this->db->f(0);
 				$this->db->query("UPDATE phpgw_categories SET cat_main='" . $max . "' WHERE cat_id='"
 					. $max . "'",__LINE__,__FILE__);
 			}