diff --git a/lib/Service/NotesService.php b/lib/Service/NotesService.php
index 644b61f0c..22ac9a96e 100644
--- a/lib/Service/NotesService.php
+++ b/lib/Service/NotesService.php
@@ -215,10 +215,19 @@ public function deleteCategory(string $userId, string $category) : array {
 			];
 		}
 
-		$parent = $folder->getParent();
-		$folder->delete();
-		if ($parent instanceof Folder) {
-			$this->noteUtil->deleteEmptyFolder($parent, $notesFolder);
+		foreach ($this->getAll($userId)['notes'] as $note) {
+			$noteCategory = $note->getCategory();
+			if ($noteCategory === $category || str_starts_with($noteCategory, $category . '/')) {
+				$note->setCategory('');
+			}
+		}
+
+		if ($notesFolder->nodeExists($category)) {
+			$parent = $folder->getParent();
+			$this->deleteFoldersWithoutFiles($folder);
+			if ($parent instanceof Folder) {
+				$this->noteUtil->deleteEmptyFolder($parent, $notesFolder);
+			}
 		}
 
 		return [
@@ -226,6 +235,17 @@ public function deleteCategory(string $userId, string $category) : array {
 		];
 	}
 
+	private function deleteFoldersWithoutFiles(Folder $folder) : void {
+		foreach ($folder->getDirectoryListing() as $node) {
+			if ($node instanceof Folder) {
+				$this->deleteFoldersWithoutFiles($node);
+			}
+		}
+		if (count($folder->getDirectoryListing()) === 0) {
+			$folder->delete();
+		}
+	}
+
 	public function getTitleFromContent(string $content) : string {
 		$content = $this->noteUtil->stripMarkdown($content);
 		return $this->noteUtil->getSafeTitle($content);
diff --git a/src/components/CategoriesList.vue b/src/components/CategoriesList.vue
index 5b940a011..609a8cc59 100644
--- a/src/components/CategoriesList.vue
+++ b/src/components/CategoriesList.vue
@@ -245,9 +245,9 @@ export default {
 			}
 		},
 
-		removeNotesFromCategory(categoryName) {
+		moveNotesToUncategorized(categoryName) {
 			for (const note of this.getNotesInCategory(categoryName)) {
-				store.commit('removeNote', note.id)
+				store.commit('setNoteAttribute', { noteId: note.id, attribute: 'category', value: '' })
 			}
 		},
 
@@ -293,10 +293,10 @@ export default {
 				let confirmed = false
 				const message = this.n(
 					'notes',
-					'Delete category "{category}" and its {count} note?',
-					'Delete category "{category}" and its {count} notes?',
+					'Delete category "{category}"? Its {count} note will be kept and moved to "{target}".',
+					'Delete category "{category}"? Its {count} notes will be kept and moved to "{target}".',
 					notes.length,
-					{ category: this.categoryTitle(categoryName), count: notes.length },
+					{ category: this.categoryTitle(categoryName), count: notes.length, target: this.categoryTitle('') },
 				)
 				try {
 					confirmed = await showConfirmation({
@@ -316,11 +316,9 @@ export default {
 
 			try {
 				await deleteCategoryRequest(categoryName)
-				const deletedCategory = categoryName
-				await this.closeOpenNoteBeforeDelete(deletedCategory)
-				this.removeNotesFromCategory(deletedCategory)
-				store.commit('removeLocalCategory', deletedCategory)
-				this.clearSelectedCategoryForDelete(deletedCategory)
+				this.moveNotesToUncategorized(categoryName)
+				store.commit('removeLocalCategory', categoryName)
+				this.clearSelectedCategoryForDelete(categoryName)
 			} catch {
 				// NotesService already shows a toast on failure.
 			}
@@ -423,32 +421,6 @@ export default {
 			store.commit('setSelectedCategory', category)
 		},
 
-		async closeOpenNoteBeforeDelete(categoryName) {
-			const noteId = Number.parseInt(this.$route?.params?.noteId, 10)
-			if (!Number.isFinite(noteId)) {
-				return
-			}
-			const note = store.getters.getNote(noteId)
-			if (!note) {
-				return
-			}
-			if (note.category === categoryName || note.category.startsWith(categoryName + '/')) {
-				const remainingNote = store.state.notes.notes.find(other => (
-					other.id !== noteId
-					&& other.category !== categoryName
-					&& !other.category.startsWith(categoryName + '/')
-				))
-				if (remainingNote) {
-					await this.$router.push({
-						name: 'note',
-						params: { noteId: remainingNote.id.toString() },
-					}).catch(() => {})
-				} else {
-					await this.$router.push({ name: 'welcome' }).catch(() => {})
-				}
-			}
-		},
-
 		onCategoryDragStart(event) {
 			event.preventDefault()
 			event.stopPropagation()