diff --git a/admin/inc/class.admin_categories.inc.php b/admin/inc/class.admin_categories.inc.php
index c4c1daeaa7..7bf6f72a7f 100644
--- a/admin/inc/class.admin_categories.inc.php
+++ b/admin/inc/class.admin_categories.inc.php
@@ -113,7 +113,6 @@ class admin_categories
 				else
 				{
 					$appname = categories::GLOBAL_APPNAME;
-					$content['all_cats'] = 'all_no_acl';
 				}
 			}
 			elseif ($content['appname'] != $appname || !self::$acl_edit || ( $content['owner'] != $GLOBALS['egw_info']['user']['account_id'] && $this->appname != 'admin'))
@@ -247,6 +246,8 @@ class admin_categories
 		if($this->appname == 'admin')
 		{
 			$content['access'] = 'public';
+			// Allow admins access to all categories as parent
+			$content['all_cats'] = 'all_no_acl';
 			$readonlys['owner'] = false;
 		} else {
 			$readonlys['owner'] = true;
diff --git a/phpgwapi/inc/class.categories.inc.php b/phpgwapi/inc/class.categories.inc.php
index c776832e79..278d0a2685 100644
--- a/phpgwapi/inc/class.categories.inc.php
+++ b/phpgwapi/inc/class.categories.inc.php
@@ -505,7 +505,7 @@ class categories
 		}
 
 		// Read access to global categories
-		if ($needed == EGW_ACL_READ && array_intersect(explode(',',$category['owner']),$this->global_owners) &&
+		if ($needed == EGW_ACL_READ && (array_intersect(explode(',',$category['owner']),$this->global_owners) || $no_acl_check) &&
 			($category['appname'] == self::GLOBAL_APPNAME || $category['appname'] == $this->app_name))
 		{
 			//echo "<p>".__METHOD__."($needed,$category[name]) access because global via memberships</p>\n";