diff --git a/etemplate/inc/class.select_widget.inc.php b/etemplate/inc/class.select_widget.inc.php
index b1e40529dd..7973ba9cb4 100644
--- a/etemplate/inc/class.select_widget.inc.php
+++ b/etemplate/inc/class.select_widget.inc.php
@@ -187,7 +187,8 @@ class select_widget
 				{
 					$categories = new categories('',$type3);
 				}
-				foreach((array)$categories->return_sorted_array(0,False,'','','',!$type,$type4) as $cat)
+				// we cast $type4 (parent) to int, to get default of 0 if omitted
+				foreach((array)$categories->return_sorted_array(0,False,'','','',!$type,(int)$type4) as $cat)
 				{
 					$s = str_repeat(' ',$cat['level']) . stripslashes($cat['name']);