diff --git a/src/api/categories.js b/src/api/categories.js
index 394db8f95d..47cb0ca8f6 100644
--- a/src/api/categories.js
+++ b/src/api/categories.js
@@ -15,6 +15,22 @@ const hasAdminPrivilege = async (uid, privilege = 'categories') => {
 	}
 };
 
+categoriesAPI.list = async (caller) => {
+	async function getCategories() {
+		const cids = await categories.getCidsByPrivilege('categories:cid', caller.uid, 'find');
+		return await categories.getCategoriesData(cids);
+	}
+
+	const [isAdmin, categoriesData] = await Promise.all([
+		user.isAdministrator(caller.uid),
+		getCategories(),
+	]);
+
+	return {
+		categories: categoriesData.filter(category => category && (!category.disabled || isAdmin)),
+	};
+};
+
 categoriesAPI.get = async function (caller, data) {
 	const [userPrivileges, category] = await Promise.all([
 		privileges.categories.get(data.cid, caller.uid),
diff --git a/src/controllers/write/categories.js b/src/controllers/write/categories.js
index 714816ef9f..52408a5400 100644
--- a/src/controllers/write/categories.js
+++ b/src/controllers/write/categories.js
@@ -7,6 +7,10 @@ const helpers = require('../helpers');
 
 const Categories = module.exports;
 
+Categories.list = async (req, res) => {
+	helpers.formatApiResponse(200, res, await api.categories.list(req));
+};
+
 Categories.get = async (req, res) => {
 	helpers.formatApiResponse(200, res, await api.categories.get(req, req.params));
 };
diff --git a/src/routes/write/categories.js b/src/routes/write/categories.js
index 3b96556d20..35957b440b 100644
--- a/src/routes/write/categories.js
+++ b/src/routes/write/categories.js
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ const { setupApiRoute } = routeHelpers;
 module.exports = function () {
 	const middlewares = [middleware.ensureLoggedIn];
 
+	setupApiRoute(router, 'get', '/', [...middlewares], controllers.write.categories.list);
 	setupApiRoute(router, 'post', '/', [...middlewares, middleware.checkRequired.bind(null, ['name'])], controllers.write.categories.create);
 	setupApiRoute(router, 'get', '/:cid', [], controllers.write.categories.get);
 	setupApiRoute(router, 'put', '/:cid', [...middlewares], controllers.write.categories.update);
diff --git a/src/socket.io/categories.js b/src/socket.io/categories.js
index 1db5358354..8168176656 100644
--- a/src/socket.io/categories.js
+++ b/src/socket.io/categories.js
@@ -18,15 +18,9 @@ SocketCategories.getRecentReplies = async function (socket, cid) {
 };
 
 SocketCategories.get = async function (socket) {
-	async function getCategories() {
-		const cids = await categories.getCidsByPrivilege('categories:cid', socket.uid, 'find');
-		return await categories.getCategoriesData(cids);
-	}
-	const [isAdmin, categoriesData] = await Promise.all([
-		user.isAdministrator(socket.uid),
-		getCategories(),
-	]);
-	return categoriesData.filter(category => category && (!category.disabled || isAdmin));
+	sockets.warnDeprecated(socket, 'GET /api/v3/categories');
+	const { categories } = await api.categories.list(socket);
+	return categories;
 };
 
 SocketCategories.getWatchedCategories = async function (socket) {