diff --git a/src/controllers/categories.js b/src/controllers/categories.js
index d5cd04b504..29ad406f98 100644
--- a/src/controllers/categories.js
+++ b/src/controllers/categories.js
@@ -13,9 +13,6 @@ categoriesController.list = function (req, res, next) {
 	res.locals.metaTags = [{
 		name: 'title',
 		content: String(meta.config.title || 'NodeBB'),
-	}, {
-		name: 'description',
-		content: String(meta.config.description || ''),
 	}, {
 		property: 'og:title',
 		content: '[[pages:categories]]',
@@ -24,6 +21,13 @@ categoriesController.list = function (req, res, next) {
 		content: 'website',
 	}];
 
+	if (meta.config.description) {
+		res.locals.metaTags.push({
+			name: 'description',
+			content: String(meta.config.description || ''),
+		});
+	}
+
 	var ogImage = meta.config['og:image'] || meta.config['brand:logo'] || '';
 	if (ogImage) {
 		if (!ogImage.startsWith('http')) {
diff --git a/src/meta/tags.js b/src/meta/tags.js
index 56269633ae..afef4bab0f 100644
--- a/src/meta/tags.js
+++ b/src/meta/tags.js
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@ module.exports = function (Meta) {
 			}
 		});
 
-		if (!hasDescription) {
+		if (!hasDescription && Meta.config.description) {
 			meta.push({
 				name: 'description',
 				content: validator.escape(String(Meta.config.description || '')),