diff --git a/addressbook/inc/class.bocontacts.inc.php b/addressbook/inc/class.bocontacts.inc.php
index a34a3a6e5a..370a6b9dda 100755
--- a/addressbook/inc/class.bocontacts.inc.php
+++ b/addressbook/inc/class.bocontacts.inc.php
@@ -516,6 +516,7 @@ class bocontacts extends socontacts
 				$GLOBALS['egw']->hooks->process($to_write,False,True);	// called for every app now, not only enabled ones));
 			}
 		}
+
 		return $this->error ? false : $contact['id'];
 	}
 	
@@ -1115,40 +1116,40 @@ class bocontacts extends socontacts
 		return $adr_format;
 	}
 
-	var $app_cat;
-	var $glob_cat;
+	var $categories;
 
 	function find_or_add_categories($catname_list)
 	{
-		if (!is_object($this->glob_cat))
+		if (!is_object($this->categories))
 		{
-			if (!is_object($GLOBALS['egw']->categories))
-			{
-				$GLOBALS['egw']->categories =& CreateObject('phpgwapi.categories',$this->owner,'phpgw');
-			}
-			$this->glob_cat =& $GLOBALS['egw']->categories;
-		}
-
-		if (!is_object($this->app_cat))
-		{
-			$this->app_cat =& CreateObject('phpgwapi.categories',$this->owner,'addressbook');
+			$this->categories =& CreateObject('phpgwapi.categories',$this->owner,'addressbook');
 		}
 
 		$cat_id_list = array();
 		foreach($catname_list as $cat_name)
 		{
 			$cat_name = trim($cat_name);
-			if (!($cat_id = $this->glob_cat->name2id($cat_name))
-				&& !($cat_id = $this->app_cat->name2id($cat_name)))
+			$cat_id = $this->categories->name2id($cat_name, 'X-');
+
+			if (!$cat_id)
 			{
-				$cat_id = $this->app_cat->add( array('name' => $cat_name,'descr' => $cat_name ));
+				// some SyncML clients (mostly phones add an X- to the category names
+				if (strncmp($cat_name, 'X-', 2) == 0)
+				{
+					$cat_name = substr($cat_name, 2);
+				}
+				$cat_id = $this->categories->add(array('name' => $cat_name,'descr' => $cat_name));
 			}
 
-			$cat_id_list[] = $cat_id;
+			if ($cat_id)
+			{
+				$cat_id_list[] = $cat_id;
+			}
 		}
 
 		if (count($cat_id_list) > 1)
 		{
+			$cat_id_list = array_unique($cat_id_list);
 			sort($cat_id_list, SORT_NUMERIC);
 		}
 		return $cat_id_list;
@@ -1156,25 +1157,19 @@ class bocontacts extends socontacts
 
 	function get_categories($cat_id_list)
 	{
-		if (!is_object($this->glob_cat))
+		if (!is_object($this->categories))
 		{
-			if (!is_object($GLOBALS['egw']->categories))
-			{
-				$GLOBALS['egw']->categories =& CreateObject('phpgwapi.categories',$this->owner,'phpgw');
-			}
-			$this->glob_cat =& $GLOBALS['egw']->categories;
+			$this->categories =& CreateObject('phpgwapi.categories',$this->owner,'addressbook');
 		}
 
-		if (!is_object($this->app_cat))
+		if (!is_array($cat_id_list))
 		{
-			$this->app_cat =& CreateObject('phpgwapi.categories',$this->owner,'addressbook');
+			$cat_id_list = explode(',',$cat_id_list);
 		}
-
 		$cat_list = array();
-		foreach(explode(',',$cat_id_list) as $cat_id)
+		foreach($cat_id_list as $cat_id)
 		{
-			if ( ($cat_data = $this->glob_cat->return_single($cat_id))
-				|| ($cat_data = $this->app_cat->return_single($cat_id)) )
+			if ($cat_data = $this->categories->return_single($cat_id))
 			{
 				$cat_list[] = $cat_data[0]['name'];
 			}
diff --git a/calendar/inc/class.bocalupdate.inc.php b/calendar/inc/class.bocalupdate.inc.php
index b89d40104b..3f87e76f65 100644
--- a/calendar/inc/class.bocalupdate.inc.php
+++ b/calendar/inc/class.bocalupdate.inc.php
@@ -1042,36 +1042,38 @@ class bocalupdate extends bocal
 		return $this->so->delete_alarm($id);
 	}
 
-	var $app_cat;
-	var $glob_cat;
+	var $categories;
 
 	function find_or_add_categories($catname_list)
 	{
-		if (!is_object($this->glob_cat))
+		if (!is_object($this->categories))
 		{
-			$this->glob_cat =& CreateObject('phpgwapi.categories',$GLOBALS['egw_info']['user']['account_id'],'phpgw');
-		}
-
-		if (!is_object($this->app_cat))
-		{
-			$this->app_cat =& CreateObject('phpgwapi.categories',$GLOBALS['egw_info']['user']['account_id'],'calendar');
+			$this->categories =& CreateObject('phpgwapi.categories',$GLOBALS['egw_info']['user']['account_id'],'calendar');
 		}
 
 		$cat_id_list = array();
 		foreach($catname_list as $cat_name)
 		{
 			$cat_name = trim($cat_name);
-			if (!($cat_id = $this->glob_cat->name2id($cat_name))
-				&& !($cat_id = $this->app_cat->name2id($cat_name)))
+			$cat_id = $this->categories->name2id($cat_name, 'X-');
+			if (!$cat_id)
 			{
-				$cat_id = $this->app_cat->add( array('name' => $cat_name,'descr' => $cat_name ));
+				if (strncmp($cat_name, "X-", 2) == 0)
+				{
+					$cat_name = substr($cat_name, 2);
+				}
+				$cat_id = $this->categories->add(array('name' => $cat_name,'descr' => $cat_name));
 			}
 
-			$cat_id_list[] = $cat_id;
+			if ($cat_id)
+			{
+				$cat_id_list[] = $cat_id;
+			}
 		}
 
 		if (count($cat_id_list) > 1)
 		{
+			$cat_id_list = array_unique($cat_id_list);
 			sort($cat_id_list, SORT_NUMERIC);
 		}
 		return $cat_id_list;
@@ -1079,21 +1081,20 @@ class bocalupdate extends bocal
 
 	function get_categories($cat_id_list)
 	{
-		if (!is_object($this->glob_cat))
+		if (!is_object($this->categories))
 		{
-			$this->glob_cat =& CreateObject('phpgwapi.categories',$GLOBALS['egw_info']['user']['account_id'],'phpgw');
+			$this->categories =& CreateObject('phpgwapi.categories',$GLOBALS['egw_info']['user']['account_id'],'calendar');
 		}
 
-		if (!is_object($this->app_cat))
+		if (!is_array($cat_id_list))
 		{
-			$this->app_cat =& CreateObject('phpgwapi.categories',$GLOBALS['egw_info']['user']['account_id'],'calendar');
+			$cat_id_list = explode(',',$cat_id_list);
 		}
 
 		$cat_list = array();
-		foreach(explode(',',$cat_id_list) as $cat_id)
+		foreach($cat_id_list as $cat_id)
 		{
-			if ( ($cat_data = $this->glob_cat->return_single($cat_id))
-				|| ($cat_data = $this->app_cat->return_single($cat_id)) )
+			if ($cat_data = $this->categories->return_single($cat_id))
 			{
 				$cat_list[] = $cat_data[0]['name'];
 			}
diff --git a/infolog/inc/class.boinfolog.inc.php b/infolog/inc/class.boinfolog.inc.php
index 83387aa63f..a624c5ce88 100644
--- a/infolog/inc/class.boinfolog.inc.php
+++ b/infolog/inc/class.boinfolog.inc.php
@@ -1279,40 +1279,34 @@ class boinfolog
 		return $icons;
 	}
 
-	var $app_cat;
-	var $glob_cat;
+	var $categories;
 
 	function find_or_add_categories($catname_list)
 	{
-		if (!is_object($this->glob_cat))
+		if (!is_object($this->categories))
 		{
-			if (!is_object($GLOBALS['egw']->categories))
-			{
-				$GLOBALS['egw']->categories =& CreateObject('phpgwapi.categories',$GLOBALS['egw_info']['user']['account_id'],'phpgw');
-			}
-			$this->glob_cat =& $GLOBALS['egw']->categories;
-		}
-
-		if (!is_object($this->app_cat))
-		{
-			$this->app_cat =& CreateObject('phpgwapi.categories',$GLOBALS['egw_info']['user']['account_id'],'infolog');
+			$this->categories =& CreateObject('phpgwapi.categories',$GLOBALS['egw_info']['user']['account_id'],'infolog');
 		}
 
 		$cat_id_list = array();
 		foreach($catname_list as $cat_name)
 		{
 			$cat_name = trim($cat_name);
-			if (!($cat_id = $this->glob_cat->name2id($cat_name))
-				&& !($cat_id = $this->app_cat->name2id($cat_name)))
+			$cat_id = $this->categories->name2id($cat_name, 'X-');
+			if (!$cat_id)
 			{
-				$cat_id = $this->app_cat->add( array('name' => $cat_name,'descr' => $cat_name ));
+				$cat_id = $this->categories->add(array('name' => $cat_name,'descr' => $cat_name));
 			}
 
-			$cat_id_list[] = $cat_id;
+			if ($cat_id)
+			{
+				$cat_id_list[] = $cat_id;
+			}
 		}
 
 		if (count($cat_id_list) > 1)
 		{
+			$cat_id_list = array_unique($cat_id_list);
 			sort($cat_id_list, SORT_NUMERIC);
 		}
 		return $cat_id_list;
@@ -1326,25 +1320,19 @@ class boinfolog
 	 */
 	function get_categories($cat_id_list)
 	{
-		if (!is_object($this->glob_cat))
+		if (!is_object($this->categories))
 		{
-			if (!is_object($GLOBALS['egw']->categories))
-			{
-				$GLOBALS['egw']->categories =& CreateObject('phpgwapi.categories',$GLOBALS['egw_info']['user']['account_id'],'phpgw');
-			}
-			$this->glob_cat =& $GLOBALS['egw']->categories;
+			$this->categories =& CreateObject('phpgwapi.categories',$GLOBALS['egw_info']['user']['account_id'],'infolog');
 		}
 
-		if (!is_object($this->app_cat))
+		if (!is_array($cat_id_list))
 		{
-			$this->app_cat =& CreateObject('phpgwapi.categories',$GLOBALS['egw_info']['user']['account_id'],'infolog');
+			$cat_id_list = explode(',',$cat_id_list);
 		}
-
 		$cat_list = array();
-		foreach(is_array($cat_id_list) ? $cat_id_list : explode(',',$cat_id_list) as $cat_id)
+		foreach($cat_id_list as $cat_id)
 		{
-			if ( ($cat_data = $this->glob_cat->return_single($cat_id))
-				|| ($cat_data = $this->app_cat->return_single($cat_id)) )
+			if ($cat_data = $this->categories->return_single($cat_id))
 			{
 				$cat_list[] = $cat_data[0]['name'];
 			}
diff --git a/phpgwapi/inc/class.categories.inc.php b/phpgwapi/inc/class.categories.inc.php
index 69603826a5..c60d4e63fb 100644
--- a/phpgwapi/inc/class.categories.inc.php
+++ b/phpgwapi/inc/class.categories.inc.php
@@ -463,11 +463,19 @@
 				$values['level'] = $this->id2name($values['parent'],'level')+1;
 				$values['main'] = $this->id2name($values['parent'],'main');
 			}
+
+			$values = array_merge(
+				array(
+					'app_name'	=> $this->app_name,
+					'access'	=> 'public',
+				),
+				$values);
+
 			$this->db->insert($this->table,array(
 				'cat_parent'  => $values['parent'],
 				'cat_owner'   => $this->account_id,
 				'cat_access'  => $values['access'],
-				'cat_appname' => $this->app_name,
+				'cat_appname' => $values['app_name'],
 				'cat_name'    => $values['name'],
 				'cat_description' => $values['descr'],
 				'cat_data'    => $values['data'],
@@ -597,22 +605,40 @@
 		 * @param string $cat_name cat-name
 		 * @return int cat-id or 0 if not found
 		 */
-		function name2id($cat_name)
+		function name2id($cat_name,$strip)
 		{
 			static $cache = array();	// a litle bit of caching
 			
 			if (isset($cache[$cat_name])) return $cache[$cat_name];
 
-			$this->db->select($this->table,'cat_id',array(
-				'cat_name' => $cat_name,
-				'(cat_appname='.$this->db->quote($this->app_name)." OR cat_appname='phpgw')",
+			if ($strip === true)
+			{
+				$strip = 'X-';
+			}
+
+			$cats = array($cat_name);
+			if (isset($strip) && strncmp($strip, $cat_name, strlen($strip)) == 0)
+			{
+				$stripped_cat_name = substr($cat_name, strlen($strip));
+				if (isset($cache[$stripped_cat_name]))
+				{
+					$cache[$cat_name] = $cache[$stripped_cat_name];
+					return $cache[$stripped_cat_name];
+				}
+				$cats[] = $stripped_cat_name;
+			}
+				
+
+			$this->db->select($this->table,array('cat_name','cat_id'),array(
+				'cat_name' => $cats,
+				'cat_appname' => array($this->app_name, 'phpgw'),
 			),__LINE__,__FILE__,0,
-			"ORDER BY (CASE cat_owner WHEN ".(int)$this->account_id." THEN 1 WHEN -1 THEN 2 ELSE 3 END),cat_appname='phpgw'",
+			"ORDER BY cat_name!='$cat_name',(CASE cat_owner WHEN ".(int)$this->account_id." THEN 1 WHEN -1 THEN 2 ELSE 3 END),cat_appname='phpgw'",
 			false,1);
 
 			if (!$this->db->next_record()) return 0;	// cat not found, dont cache it, as it might be created in this request
 
-			return $cache[$cat_name] = (int) $this->db->f('cat_id');
+			return $cache[$this->db->f('cat_name')] = (int) $this->db->f('cat_id');
 		}
 
 		/**