diff --git a/src/groups.js b/src/groups.js
index fde915f448..e1df370074 100644
--- a/src/groups.js
+++ b/src/groups.js
@@ -65,6 +65,15 @@
 			isMember: function (uid, gid, callback) {
 				RDB.sismember('gid:' + gid + ':members', uid, callback);
 			},
+			isMemberByGroupName: function(uid, groupName, callback) {
+				this.getGidFromName(groupName, function(err, gid) {
+					if (err || !gid) {
+						callback(null, false);
+					} else {
+						Groups.isMember(uid, gid, callback);
+					}
+				});
+			},
 			exists: function (name, callback) {
 				RDB.hexists('group:gid', name, callback);
 			},
diff --git a/src/routes/api.js b/src/routes/api.js
index 5b4e1c5f10..4600e39ab9 100644
--- a/src/routes/api.js
+++ b/src/routes/api.js
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ var user = require('./../user.js'),
 	topics = require('./../topics.js'),
 	posts = require('./../posts.js'),
 	categories = require('./../categories.js'),
+	Groups = require('../groups'),
 	utils = require('./../../public/src/utils.js'),
 	pkg = require('../../package.json'),
 	meta = require('./../meta.js'),
@@ -127,12 +128,26 @@ var user = require('./../user.js'),
 
 			app.get('/category/:id/:slug?', function (req, res, next) {
 				var uid = (req.user) ? req.user.uid : 0;
-				categories.getCategoryById(req.params.id, uid, function (err, data) {
-					if (!err && data && data.disabled === "0")
-						res.json(data);
-					else
-						next();
-				}, req.params.id, uid);
+
+				// Category Whitelisting
+				Groups.exists('category:' + req.params.id + ':whitelist', function(err, exists) {
+					if (!err && exists) {
+						Groups.isMember(uid, gid, function(err, isMember) {
+							if (!err && isMember) {
+								categories.getCategoryById(req.params.id, uid, function (err, data) {
+									if (!err && data && data.disabled === "0")
+										res.json(data);
+									else
+										next();
+								}, req.params.id, uid);
+							} else {
+								res.send(403);
+							}
+						});
+					} else {
+						res.send(403);
+					}
+				});
 			});
 
 			app.get('/recent/:term?', function (req, res) {