diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/components/bread-crumbs.js b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/components/bread-crumbs.js
index 86dfefb3b3302f..3c5e92e7e26be2 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/components/bread-crumbs.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/components/bread-crumbs.js
@@ -10,20 +10,7 @@ export default Component.extend({
   editingCategory: false,
   editingCategoryTab: null,
 
-  @discourseComputed("categories")
-  filteredCategories(categories) {
-    return categories.filter(
-      (category) =>
-        this.siteSettings.allow_uncategorized_topics ||
-        category.id !== this.site.uncategorized_category_id
-    );
-  },
-
-  @discourseComputed(
-    "category.ancestors",
-    "filteredCategories",
-    "noSubcategories"
-  )
+  @discourseComputed("category.ancestors", "categories", "noSubcategories")
   categoryBreadcrumbs(categoryAncestors, filteredCategories, noSubcategories) {
     categoryAncestors = categoryAncestors || [];
     const parentCategories = [undefined, ...categoryAncestors];
@@ -44,7 +31,7 @@ export default Component.extend({
         options,
         isSubcategory: !!parentCategory,
         noSubcategories: !category && noSubcategories,
-        hasOptions: options.length !== 0,
+        hasOptions: !parentCategory || parentCategory.has_children,
       };
     });
   },
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/components/d-navigation.js b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/components/d-navigation.js
index 96df798ec3b99a..fbc7426b783a30 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/components/d-navigation.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/components/d-navigation.js
@@ -22,16 +22,24 @@ export default Component.extend({
 
   // Should be a `readOnly` instead but some themes/plugins still pass
   // the `categories` property into this component
-  @discourseComputed("site.categoriesList")
-  categories(categoriesList) {
+  @discourseComputed()
+  categories() {
+    let categories = this.site.categoriesList;
+
+    if (!this.siteSettings.allow_uncategorized_topics) {
+      categories = categories.filter(
+        (category) => category.id !== this.site.uncategorized_category_id
+      );
+    }
+
     if (this.currentUser?.indirectly_muted_category_ids) {
-      return categoriesList.filter(
+      categories = categories.filter(
         (category) =>
           !this.currentUser.indirectly_muted_category_ids.includes(category.id)
       );
-    } else {
-      return categoriesList;
     }
+
+    return categories;
   },
 
   @discourseComputed("category")
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/helpers/category-link.js b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/helpers/category-link.js
index 0082706ddfffbd..28029ea571f744 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/helpers/category-link.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/helpers/category-link.js
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import { get } from "@ember/object";
 import { htmlSafe } from "@ember/template";
+import categoryVariables from "discourse/helpers/category-variables";
 import { isRTL } from "discourse/lib/text-direction";
 import { escapeExpression } from "discourse/lib/utilities";
 import Category from "discourse/models/category";
@@ -180,5 +181,9 @@ export function defaultCategoryLinkRenderer(category, opts) {
       })}
       </span>`;
   }
-  return `<${tagName} class="badge-category__wrapper ${extraClasses}" ${href}>${html}</${tagName}>${afterBadgeWrapper}`;
+
+  const style = categoryVariables(category);
+  const extraAttrs = style.string ? `style="${style}"` : "";
+
+  return `<${tagName} class="badge-category__wrapper ${extraClasses}" ${extraAttrs} ${href}>${html}</${tagName}>${afterBadgeWrapper}`;
 }
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/models/category.js b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/models/category.js
index 28cfd7c6fc6dfa..a72f9ff4537dfd 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/models/category.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/models/category.js
@@ -488,6 +488,22 @@ Category.reopenClass({
     return category;
   },
 
+  async asyncFindBySlugPathWithID(slugPathWithID) {
+    const result = await ajax("/categories/find", {
+      data: {
+        category_slug_path_with_id: slugPathWithID,
+      },
+    });
+
+    if (result["ancestors"]) {
+      result["ancestors"].map((category) =>
+        Site.current().updateCategory(category)
+      );
+    }
+
+    return Site.current().updateCategory(result.category);
+  },
+
   findBySlugPathWithID(slugPathWithID) {
     let parts = slugPathWithID.split("/").filter(Boolean);
     // slugs found by star/glob pathing in ember do not automatically url decode - ensure that these are decoded
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/models/site.js b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/models/site.js
index eb2d345fc37d9c..9d071d1c64d1cf 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/models/site.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/models/site.js
@@ -124,6 +124,10 @@ const Site = RestModel.extend({
       newCategory = this.store.createRecord("category", newCategory);
       categories.pushObject(newCategory);
       this.categoriesById[categoryId] = newCategory;
+      newCategory.set(
+        "parentCategory",
+        this.categoriesById[newCategory.parent_category_id]
+      );
       return newCategory;
     }
   },
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/routes/build-category-route.js b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/routes/build-category-route.js
index eb1b7f93b436b0..26d13c3443beca 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/routes/build-category-route.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/routes/build-category-route.js
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ import I18n from "discourse-i18n";
 class AbstractCategoryRoute extends DiscourseRoute {
   @service composer;
   @service router;
+  @service siteSettings;
   @service store;
   @service topicTrackingState;
   @service("search") searchService;
@@ -29,9 +30,11 @@ class AbstractCategoryRoute extends DiscourseRoute {
   controllerName = "discovery/list";
 
   async model(params, transition) {
-    const category = Category.findBySlugPathWithID(
-      params.category_slug_path_with_id
-    );
+    const category = this.siteSettings.lazy_load_categories
+      ? await Category.asyncFindBySlugPathWithID(
+          params.category_slug_path_with_id
+        )
+      : Category.findBySlugPathWithID(params.category_slug_path_with_id);
 
     if (!category) {
       this.router.replaceWith("/404");
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/tests/fixtures/site-fixtures.js b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/tests/fixtures/site-fixtures.js
index 2f419f2610f1ad..37213c52ba636d 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/tests/fixtures/site-fixtures.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/tests/fixtures/site-fixtures.js
@@ -138,6 +138,7 @@ export default {
           show_subcategory_list: true,
           default_view: "latest",
           subcategory_list_style: "boxes_with_featured_topics",
+          has_children: true,
         },
         {
           id: 6,
@@ -158,6 +159,7 @@ export default {
           background_url: null,
           show_subcategory_list: false,
           default_view: "latest",
+          has_children: true,
         },
         {
           id: 24,
@@ -309,6 +311,7 @@ export default {
           notification_level: null,
           show_subcategory_list: false,
           default_view: "latest",
+          has_children: true,
         },
         {
           id: 11,
@@ -463,6 +466,7 @@ export default {
           default_view: "latest",
           subcategory_list_style: "boxes",
           default_list_filter: "all",
+          has_children: true,
         },
         {
           id: 240,
@@ -516,6 +520,7 @@ export default {
           parent_category_id: null,
           notification_level: null,
           background_url: null,
+          has_children: true,
         },
         {
           id: 1002,
@@ -533,6 +538,7 @@ export default {
           parent_category_id: 1001,
           notification_level: null,
           background_url: null,
+          has_children: true,
         },
         {
           id: 1003,
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/select-kit/addon/components/category-drop.js b/app/assets/javascripts/select-kit/addon/components/category-drop.js
index 246544a3d819ea..fc4b0069e4ab9c 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/select-kit/addon/components/category-drop.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/select-kit/addon/components/category-drop.js
@@ -54,8 +54,7 @@ export default ComboBoxComponent.extend({
     return this.options.subCategory || false;
   }),
 
-  categoriesWithShortcuts: computed(
-    "categories.[]",
+  shortcuts: computed(
     "value",
     "selectKit.options.{subCategory,noSubcategories}",
     function () {
@@ -82,11 +81,15 @@ export default ComboBoxComponent.extend({
         });
       }
 
-      const results = this._filterUncategorized(this.categories || []);
-      return shortcuts.concat(results);
+      return shortcuts;
     }
   ),
 
+  categoriesWithShortcuts: computed("categories.[]", "shortcuts", function () {
+    const results = this._filterUncategorized(this.categories || []);
+    return this.shortcuts.concat(results);
+  }),
+
   modifyNoSelection() {
     if (this.selectKit.options.noSubcategories) {
       return this.defaultItem(NO_CATEGORIES_ID, this.noCategoriesLabel);
@@ -138,15 +141,17 @@ export default ComboBoxComponent.extend({
 
     if (this.siteSettings.lazy_load_categories) {
       const results = await Category.asyncSearch(filter, { ...opts, limit: 5 });
-      return results.sort((a, b) => {
-        if (a.parent_category_id && !b.parent_category_id) {
-          return 1;
-        } else if (!a.parent_category_id && b.parent_category_id) {
-          return -1;
-        } else {
-          return 0;
-        }
-      });
+      return this.shortcuts.concat(
+        results.sort((a, b) => {
+          if (a.parent_category_id && !b.parent_category_id) {
+            return 1;
+          } else if (!a.parent_category_id && b.parent_category_id) {
+            return -1;
+          } else {
+            return 0;
+          }
+        })
+      );
     }
 
     if (filter) {
diff --git a/app/controllers/categories_controller.rb b/app/controllers/categories_controller.rb
index 6622fb784113fa..dd08851c3e8ce7 100644
--- a/app/controllers/categories_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/categories_controller.rb
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ class CategoriesController < ApplicationController
                    redirect
                    find_by_slug
                    visible_groups
+                   find
                    search
                  ]
 
@@ -299,6 +300,24 @@ def visible_groups
     render json: success_json.merge(groups: groups || [])
   end
 
+  def find
+    category = Category.find_by_slug_path_with_id(params[:category_slug_path_with_id])
+    raise Discourse::NotFound if category.blank?
+    guardian.ensure_can_see!(category)
+
+    ancestors = Category.secured(guardian).with_ancestors(category.id).where.not(id: category.id)
+
+    render json: {
+             category: SiteCategorySerializer.new(category, scope: guardian, root: nil),
+             ancestors:
+               ActiveModel::ArraySerializer.new(
+                 ancestors,
+                 scope: guardian,
+                 each_serializer: SiteCategorySerializer,
+               ),
+           }
+  end
+
   def search
     term = params[:term].to_s.strip
     parent_category_id = params[:parent_category_id].to_i if params[:parent_category_id].present?
@@ -334,10 +353,7 @@ def search
         ) if term.present?
 
     categories =
-      categories.where(
-        "id = :id OR parent_category_id = :id",
-        id: parent_category_id,
-      ) if parent_category_id.present?
+      categories.where(parent_category_id: parent_category_id) if parent_category_id.present?
 
     categories =
       categories.where.not(id: SiteSetting.uncategorized_category_id) if !include_uncategorized
@@ -358,7 +374,7 @@ def search
       END
     SQL
 
-    categories.order(:id)
+    categories = categories.order(:id)
 
     render json: categories, each_serializer: SiteCategorySerializer
   end
diff --git a/app/models/category.rb b/app/models/category.rb
index 687d0ad56e4ee6..0c13d560e025f0 100644
--- a/app/models/category.rb
+++ b/app/models/category.rb
@@ -107,12 +107,13 @@ class Category < ActiveRecord::Base
   before_save :downcase_name
   before_save :ensure_category_setting
 
-  after_save :publish_discourse_stylesheet
-  after_save :publish_category
   after_save :reset_topic_ids_cache
   after_save :clear_subcategory_ids
+  after_save :clear_parent_ids
   after_save :clear_url_cache
   after_save :update_reviewables
+  after_save :publish_discourse_stylesheet
+  after_save :publish_category
 
   after_save do
     if saved_change_to_uploaded_logo_id? || saved_change_to_uploaded_logo_dark_id? ||
@@ -128,6 +129,8 @@ class Category < ActiveRecord::Base
   end
 
   after_destroy :reset_topic_ids_cache
+  after_destroy :clear_subcategory_ids
+  after_destroy :clear_parent_ids
   after_destroy :publish_category_deletion
   after_destroy :remove_site_settings
 
@@ -197,6 +200,19 @@ class Category < ActiveRecord::Base
   scope :post_create_allowed,
         ->(guardian) { scoped_to_permissions(guardian, POST_CREATION_PERMISSIONS) }
 
+  scope :with_ancestors, ->(id) { where(<<~SQL, id) }
+        id IN (
+          WITH RECURSIVE ancestors(category_id) AS (
+            SELECT ?
+            UNION
+            SELECT parent_category_id
+            FROM categories, ancestors
+            WHERE id = ancestors.category_id
+          )
+          SELECT category_id FROM ancestors
+        )
+      SQL
+
   delegate :post_template, to: "self.class"
 
   # permission is just used by serialization
@@ -843,9 +859,24 @@ def self.find_by_email(email)
     self.where("string_to_array(email_in, '|') @> ARRAY[?]", Email.downcase(email)).first
   end
 
+  @@has_children = DistributedCache.new("has_children")
+
+  def self.has_children?(category_id)
+    @@has_children.defer_get_set(category_id.to_s) do
+      Category.where(parent_category_id: category_id).exists?
+    end
+  end
+
   def has_children?
-    @has_children ||= (id && Category.where(parent_category_id: id).exists?) ? :true : :false
-    @has_children == :true
+    !!id && Category.has_children?(id)
+  end
+
+  def self.clear_parent_ids
+    @@has_children.clear
+  end
+
+  def clear_parent_ids
+    Category.clear_parent_ids
   end
 
   def uncategorized?
diff --git a/app/models/site.rb b/app/models/site.rb
index 526a5fc99885de..6cc00e7cdb6b77 100644
--- a/app/models/site.rb
+++ b/app/models/site.rb
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ class Site
   include ActiveModel::Serialization
 
   # Number of categories preloaded when lazy_load_categories is enabled
-  LAZY_LOAD_CATEGORIES_LIMIT = 50
+  LAZY_LOAD_CATEGORIES_LIMIT = 10
 
   cattr_accessor :preloaded_category_custom_fields
 
@@ -120,10 +120,6 @@ def categories
              )
             categories << category
           end
-
-          if SiteSetting.lazy_load_categories && categories.size >= Site::LAZY_LOAD_CATEGORIES_LIMIT
-            break
-          end
         end
 
         with_children = Set.new
@@ -161,7 +157,11 @@ def categories
 
         self.class.categories_callbacks.each { |callback| callback.call(categories, @guardian) }
 
-        categories
+        if SiteSetting.lazy_load_categories
+          categories[0...Site::LAZY_LOAD_CATEGORIES_LIMIT]
+        else
+          categories
+        end
       end
   end
 
diff --git a/app/serializers/basic_category_serializer.rb b/app/serializers/basic_category_serializer.rb
index 2ec271268884c5..2bd0bcf0c3866c 100644
--- a/app/serializers/basic_category_serializer.rb
+++ b/app/serializers/basic_category_serializer.rb
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ class BasicCategorySerializer < ApplicationSerializer
              :notification_level,
              :can_edit,
              :topic_template,
-             :has_children,
+             :has_children?,
              :sort_order,
              :sort_ascending,
              :show_subcategory_list,
diff --git a/config/routes.rb b/config/routes.rb
index 663a8f8d604196..9ac25194af4c13 100644
--- a/config/routes.rb
+++ b/config/routes.rb
@@ -1160,6 +1160,7 @@ def patch(*)
 
     resources :categories, except: %i[show new edit]
     post "categories/reorder" => "categories#reorder"
+    get "categories/find" => "categories#find"
     get "categories/search" => "categories#search"
 
     scope path: "category/:category_id" do
diff --git a/spec/models/category_spec.rb b/spec/models/category_spec.rb
index 66332fbc3cfcb1..eb2f017e32d9b4 100644
--- a/spec/models/category_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/category_spec.rb
@@ -1298,6 +1298,8 @@
     let(:guardian) { Guardian.new(admin) }
     fab!(:category)
 
+    before { Category.clear_parent_ids }
+
     describe "when category is uncategorized" do
       it "should return the reason" do
         category = Category.find(SiteSetting.uncategorized_category_id)
diff --git a/spec/requests/api/schemas/json/category_create_response.json b/spec/requests/api/schemas/json/category_create_response.json
index 1e91ec3c3314dd..d7c7e400a0ddfd 100644
--- a/spec/requests/api/schemas/json/category_create_response.json
+++ b/spec/requests/api/schemas/json/category_create_response.json
@@ -79,10 +79,7 @@
           "items": {}
         },
         "has_children": {
-          "type": [
-            "string",
-            "null"
-          ]
+          "type": "boolean"
         },
         "sort_order": {
           "type": [
diff --git a/spec/requests/api/schemas/json/category_update_response.json b/spec/requests/api/schemas/json/category_update_response.json
index 550382ef901a06..04bccf8f889016 100644
--- a/spec/requests/api/schemas/json/category_update_response.json
+++ b/spec/requests/api/schemas/json/category_update_response.json
@@ -82,10 +82,7 @@
           "items": {}
         },
         "has_children": {
-          "type": [
-            "string",
-            "null"
-          ]
+          "type": "boolean"
         },
         "sort_order": {
           "type": [
diff --git a/spec/requests/categories_controller_spec.rb b/spec/requests/categories_controller_spec.rb
index ffa6248356f1cf..ff2bbb038c8198 100644
--- a/spec/requests/categories_controller_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/requests/categories_controller_spec.rb
@@ -1040,6 +1040,31 @@
     end
   end
 
+  describe "#find" do
+    fab!(:category) { Fabricate(:category, name: "Foo") }
+    fab!(:subcategory) { Fabricate(:category, name: "Foobar", parent_category: category) }
+
+    it "returns the category" do
+      get "/categories/find.json",
+          params: {
+            category_slug_path_with_id: "#{category.slug}/#{category.id}",
+          }
+
+      expect(response.parsed_body["category"]["id"]).to eq(category.id)
+      expect(response.parsed_body["ancestors"]).to eq([])
+    end
+
+    it "returns the subcategory and ancestors" do
+      get "/categories/find.json",
+          params: {
+            category_slug_path_with_id: "#{subcategory.slug}/#{subcategory.id}",
+          }
+
+      expect(response.parsed_body["category"]["id"]).to eq(subcategory.id)
+      expect(response.parsed_body["ancestors"].map { |c| c["id"] }).to eq([category.id])
+    end
+  end
+
   describe "#search" do
     fab!(:category) { Fabricate(:category, name: "Foo") }
     fab!(:subcategory) { Fabricate(:category, name: "Foobar", parent_category: category) }
@@ -1066,9 +1091,8 @@
       it "returns categories" do
         get "/categories/search.json", params: { parent_category_id: category.id }
 
-        expect(response.parsed_body["categories"].size).to eq(2)
+        expect(response.parsed_body["categories"].size).to eq(1)
         expect(response.parsed_body["categories"].map { |c| c["name"] }).to contain_exactly(
-          "Foo",
           "Foobar",
         )
       end