diff --git a/backend/src/schema/resolvers/user_management.js b/backend/src/schema/resolvers/user_management.js
index 9eea67108..71517dd05 100644
--- a/backend/src/schema/resolvers/user_management.js
+++ b/backend/src/schema/resolvers/user_management.js
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ export default {
         const result = await transaction.run(
           `
             MATCH (user:User {id: $id})
-            MATCH (category:Category) WHERE NOT ((user)-[:NOT_INTERESTED_IN]->(category))
+            OPTIONAL MATCH (category:Category) WHERE NOT ((user)-[:NOT_INTERESTED_IN]->(category))
             WITH user, [(user)<-[:OWNED_BY]-(medium:SocialMedia) | properties(medium) ] as media, category
             RETURN user {.*, socialMedia: media, activeCategories: collect(category.id) } as user
           `,
diff --git a/backend/src/schema/resolvers/user_management.spec.js b/backend/src/schema/resolvers/user_management.spec.js
index 264cf2752..4e0cfaa14 100644
--- a/backend/src/schema/resolvers/user_management.spec.js
+++ b/backend/src/schema/resolvers/user_management.spec.js
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import { createTestClient } from 'apollo-server-testing'
 import createServer, { context } from '../../server'
 import encode from '../../jwt/encode'
 import { getNeode } from '../../db/neo4j'
+import { categories } from '../../constants/categories'
 
 const neode = getNeode()
 let query, mutate, variables, req, user
@@ -118,6 +119,7 @@ describe('currentUser', () => {
         }
         email
         role
+        activeCategories
       }
     }
   `
@@ -172,6 +174,49 @@ describe('currentUser', () => {
         }
         await respondsWith(expected)
       })
+
+      describe('with categories in DB', () => {
+        beforeEach(async () => {
+          await Promise.all(
+            categories.map(async ({ icon, name }, index) => {
+              await Factory.build('category', {
+                id: `cat${index + 1}`,
+                slug: name,
+                name,
+                icon,
+              })
+            }),
+          )
+        })
+
+        it('returns all categories', async () => {
+          const result = await query({ query: currentUserQuery, variables })
+          expect(result.data.currentUser.activeCategories).toHaveLength(categories.length)
+        })
+
+        describe('with categories saved for current user', () => {
+          const saveCategorySettings = gql`
+            mutation ($activeCategories: [String]) {
+              saveCategorySettings(activeCategories: $activeCategories)
+            }
+          `
+          beforeEach(async () => {
+            await mutate({
+              mutation: saveCategorySettings,
+              variables: { activeCategories: ['cat1', 'cat3', 'cat5', 'cat7'] },
+            })
+          })
+
+          it('returns only the saved active categories', async () => {
+            const result = await query({ query: currentUserQuery, variables })
+            expect(result.data.currentUser.activeCategories).toHaveLength(4)
+            expect(result.data.currentUser.activeCategories).toContain('cat1')
+            expect(result.data.currentUser.activeCategories).toContain('cat3')
+            expect(result.data.currentUser.activeCategories).toContain('cat5')
+            expect(result.data.currentUser.activeCategories).toContain('cat7')
+          })
+        })
+      })
     })
   })
 })