diff --git a/lisp/org-agenda.el b/lisp/org-agenda.el
index b74a15b0a..42812d00c 100644
--- a/lisp/org-agenda.el
+++ b/lisp/org-agenda.el
@@ -5044,7 +5044,9 @@ Any match of REMOVE-RE will be removed from TXT."
 	       org-agenda-show-inherited-tags
 	       org-agenda-hide-tags-regexp))
     (let* ((category (or category
-			 org-category
+			 (if (stringp org-category)
+			     org-category
+			   (symbol-name org-category))
 			 (if buffer-file-name
 			     (file-name-sans-extension
 			      (file-name-nondirectory buffer-file-name))