diff --git a/out/boot.dol b/out/boot.dol
index e64ca552..f4937fb4 100644
Binary files a/out/boot.dol and b/out/boot.dol differ
diff --git a/source/menu/menu.cpp b/source/menu/menu.cpp
index b9a2fdf9..3aa3a058 100644
--- a/source/menu/menu.cpp
+++ b/source/menu/menu.cpp
@@ -1993,18 +1993,18 @@ void CMenu::_initCF(void)
 	CoverFlow.clear();
 	CoverFlow.reserve(m_gameList.size());
 
-	string requiredCats = m_cat.getString("GENERAL", "required_categories", "");
-	string selectedCats = m_cat.getString("GENERAL", "selected_categories", "");
-	string hiddenCats = m_cat.getString("GENERAL", "hidden_categories", "");
-	u8 numReqCats = requiredCats.length();
-	u8 numSelCats = selectedCats.length();
-	u8 numHidCats = hiddenCats.length();
-
+	string requiredCats;
+	string selectedCats;
+	string hiddenCats;
 	char id[74];
 	char catID[64];
 	
 	for(vector<dir_discHdr>::iterator hdr = m_gameList.begin(); hdr != m_gameList.end(); ++hdr)
 	{
+		requiredCats = m_cat.getString("GENERAL", "required_categories", "");
+		selectedCats = m_cat.getString("GENERAL", "selected_categories", "");
+		hiddenCats = m_cat.getString("GENERAL", "hidden_categories", "");
+		
 		const char *favDomain = "FAVORITES";
 		const char *adultDomain = "ADULTONLY";
 		
@@ -2027,6 +2027,13 @@ void CMenu::_initCF(void)
 		}
 		else if(hdr->type == TYPE_PLUGIN)
 		{
+			if(m_cat.hasDomain("PLUGINS"))// if using new style categories_lite.ini
+			{
+				requiredCats = m_cat.getString("PLUGINS", "required_categories", "");
+				selectedCats = m_cat.getString("PLUGINS", "selected_categories", "");
+				hiddenCats = m_cat.getString("PLUGINS", "hidden_categories", "");
+			}
+			
 			strncpy(m_plugin.PluginMagicWord, fmt("%08x", hdr->settings[0]), 8);
 			if(strrchr(hdr->path, '/') != NULL)
 				wcstombs(catID, hdr->title, 63);
@@ -2043,6 +2050,10 @@ void CMenu::_initCF(void)
 			strcpy(catID, id);
 		}
 		
+		u8 numReqCats = requiredCats.length();
+		u8 numSelCats = selectedCats.length();
+		u8 numHidCats = hiddenCats.length();
+		
 		if((!m_favorites || m_gcfg1.getBool(favDomain, id, false))
 			&& (!m_locked || !m_gcfg1.getBool(adultDomain, id, false)))
 		{
@@ -2289,7 +2300,7 @@ void CMenu::_initCF(void)
 			else if(strncasecmp(m_plugin.PluginMagicWord, "454E414E", 8) == 0)//EMUNAND
 				ID = m_cfg.getString("plugin_item", m_plugin.PluginMagicWord, "");
 			else
-				filename = m_cfg.getString("plugin_item", m_plugin.PluginMagicWord, "");
+				filename = m_cfg.getString("plugin_item", m_plugin.PluginMagicWord, "");// homebrew and plugins
 		}
 		else if(m_sourceflow && sm_numbers.size() > 0)
 			sourceNumber = stoi(sm_numbers[sm_numbers.size() - 1]);
diff --git a/source/menu/menu.hpp b/source/menu/menu.hpp
index fe87e864..1e5aa558 100644
--- a/source/menu/menu.hpp
+++ b/source/menu/menu.hpp
@@ -1065,6 +1065,7 @@ private:
 	void _updateCheckboxes(void);
 	void _getGameCategories(void);
 	void _setGameCategories(void);
+	void _setCatGenDomain(void);
 	void _getCustomBgTex(void);
 	void _setMainBg(void);
 	void _setBg(const TexData &bgTex, const TexData &bglqTex);
diff --git a/source/menu/menu_categories.cpp b/source/menu/menu_categories.cpp
index 73afd987..939808ee 100644
--- a/source/menu/menu_categories.cpp
+++ b/source/menu/menu_categories.cpp
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ u8 lastBtn;
 char id[64];
 const char *catDomain = NULL;
 bool gameSet;
+string genDomain;
 
 void CMenu::_hideCategorySettings(bool instant)
 {
@@ -59,6 +60,40 @@ void CMenu::_showCategorySettings(void)
 	_updateCheckboxes();
 }
 
+void CMenu::_setCatGenDomain()
+{
+	genDomain = "GENERAL";
+	if(!m_cat.hasDomain("PLUGINS"))// if still using old style categories_lite.ini set as "GENERAL" and return
+		return;
+	if(gameSet)
+	{
+		const dir_discHdr *hdr = CoverFlow.getHdr();
+		if(hdr->type == TYPE_PLUGIN)
+			genDomain = "PLUGINS";
+	}
+	else if(m_current_view & COVERFLOW_PLUGIN)
+	{
+		for(u8 i = 0; m_plugin.PluginExist(i); ++i)// only set "PLUGINS" for real plugins
+		{
+			if(m_plugin.GetEnableStatus(m_cfg, m_plugin.getPluginMagic(i)))
+			{
+				if(strncasecmp(m_plugin.PluginMagicWord, "4E47434D", 8) == 0)//NGCM
+					continue;
+				else if(strncasecmp(m_plugin.PluginMagicWord, "4E574949", 8) == 0)//NWII
+					continue;
+				else if(strncasecmp(m_plugin.PluginMagicWord, "4E414E44", 8) == 0)//NAND
+					continue;
+				else if(strncasecmp(m_plugin.PluginMagicWord, "454E414E", 8) == 0)//EMUNAND
+					continue;
+				else if(strncasecmp(m_plugin.PluginMagicWord, "48425257", 8) == 0)//HBRW
+					continue;	
+				else
+					genDomain = "PLUGINS";
+			}
+		}
+	}
+}
+
 void CMenu::_updateCheckboxes(void)
 {
 	for(u8 i = 1; i < 11; ++i)
@@ -77,6 +112,7 @@ void CMenu::_updateCheckboxes(void)
 		m_btnMgr.show(m_categoryBtnPageM);
 		m_btnMgr.show(m_categoryBtnPageP);
 	}
+
 	for(u8 i = 1; i < 11; ++i)
 	{
 		int j = i + ((curPage - 1) * 10);
@@ -96,7 +132,7 @@ void CMenu::_updateCheckboxes(void)
 			default:
 				m_btnMgr.show(m_categoryBtnCatReq[i]);
 		}
-		m_btnMgr.setText(m_categoryLblCat[i], m_cat.getWString("GENERAL", fmt("cat%d",j), wfmt(L"Category %i",j).c_str()));	
+		m_btnMgr.setText(m_categoryLblCat[i], m_cat.getWString(genDomain, fmt("cat%d",j), wfmt(L"Category %i",j).c_str()));
 		m_btnMgr.show(m_categoryLblCat[i]);
 	}
 
@@ -174,8 +210,10 @@ void CMenu::_CategorySettings(bool fromGameSet)
 	
 	if(m_source.loaded() && m_catStartPage > 0)
 		curPage = m_catStartPage;
+
+	_setCatGenDomain();
 	
-	m_max_categories = m_cat.getInt("GENERAL", "numcategories", 6);
+	m_max_categories = m_cat.getInt(genDomain, "numcategories", 6);
 	if(curPage < 1 || curPage > (((m_max_categories - 2)/ 10) + 1))
 		curPage = 1;
 	m_categories.resize(m_max_categories, '0');
@@ -187,9 +225,9 @@ void CMenu::_CategorySettings(bool fromGameSet)
 	}
 	else
 	{
-		string requiredCats = m_cat.getString("GENERAL", "required_categories", "");
-		string selectedCats = m_cat.getString("GENERAL", "selected_categories", "");
-		string hiddenCats = m_cat.getString("GENERAL", "hidden_categories", "");
+		string requiredCats = m_cat.getString(genDomain, "required_categories", "");
+		string selectedCats = m_cat.getString(genDomain, "selected_categories", "");
+		string hiddenCats = m_cat.getString(genDomain, "hidden_categories", "");
 		u8 numReqCats = requiredCats.length();
 		u8 numSelCats = selectedCats.length();
 		u8 numHidCats = hiddenCats.length();
@@ -254,9 +292,9 @@ void CMenu::_CategorySettings(bool fromGameSet)
 						newReqCats = newReqCats + cCh;
 					}
 				}
-				m_cat.setString("GENERAL", "selected_categories", newSelCats);
-				m_cat.setString("GENERAL", "hidden_categories", newHidCats);
-				m_cat.setString("GENERAL", "required_categories", newReqCats);
+				m_cat.setString(genDomain, "selected_categories", newSelCats);
+				m_cat.setString(genDomain, "hidden_categories", newHidCats);
+				m_cat.setString(genDomain, "required_categories", newReqCats);
 			}
 			else
 			{
diff --git a/source/menu/menu_main.cpp b/source/menu/menu_main.cpp
index db1755a5..ca5b8e77 100644
--- a/source/menu/menu_main.cpp
+++ b/source/menu/menu_main.cpp
@@ -254,9 +254,17 @@ void CMenu::_showCF(bool refreshList)
 		/* setup categories and favorites for filtering the game list below */
 		if(m_clearCats)// false on boot up and if a source menu button selects a category
 		{
-			// do not clear hidden categories to keep games hidden
-			m_cat.remove("GENERAL", "selected_categories");
-			m_cat.remove("GENERAL", "required_categories");
+			if(m_autoboot_hdr.type == TYPE_PLUGIN && m_cat.hasDomain("PLUGINS"))
+			{
+				m_cat.remove("PLUGINS", "selected_categories");
+				m_cat.remove("PLUGINS", "required_categories");
+			}
+			else
+			{
+				// do not clear hidden categories to keep games hidden
+				m_cat.remove("GENERAL", "selected_categories");
+				m_cat.remove("GENERAL", "required_categories");
+			}
 		}
 		m_clearCats = true;// set to true for next source