diff --git a/app/src/main/java/eu/kanade/tachiyomi/data/backup/BackupRestoreService.kt b/app/src/main/java/eu/kanade/tachiyomi/data/backup/BackupRestoreService.kt
index b23f369b96..c57ff2051a 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/eu/kanade/tachiyomi/data/backup/BackupRestoreService.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/eu/kanade/tachiyomi/data/backup/BackupRestoreService.kt
@@ -215,7 +215,7 @@ class BackupRestoreService : Service() {
         errors.clear()
 
         // Restore categories
-        restoreCategories(json.get(CATEGORIES))
+        json.get(CATEGORIES)?.let { restoreCategories(it) }
 
         // Store source mapping for error messages
         sourceMapping = BackupRestoreValidator.getSourceMapping(json)