diff --git a/lisp/org-archive.el b/lisp/org-archive.el
index c32ee23c4..e56b01f95 100644
--- a/lisp/org-archive.el
+++ b/lisp/org-archive.el
@@ -226,6 +226,7 @@ this heading."
       (save-excursion
 	(org-back-to-heading t)
 	;; Get context information that will be lost by moving the tree
+	(org-refresh-category-properties)
 	(setq category (org-get-category)
 	      todo (and (looking-at org-todo-line-regexp)
 			(match-string 2))
diff --git a/lisp/org-clock.el b/lisp/org-clock.el
index 17fccae27..93b0b524c 100644
--- a/lisp/org-clock.el
+++ b/lisp/org-clock.el
@@ -442,7 +442,9 @@ pointing to it."
 	    (ignore-errors
 	      (goto-char marker)
 	      (setq file (buffer-file-name (marker-buffer marker))
-		    cat (org-get-category)
+		    cat (or (org-get-category)
+			    (progn (org-refresh-category-properties)
+				   (org-get-category)))
 		    heading (org-get-heading 'notags)
 		    prefix (save-excursion
 			     (org-back-to-heading t)
diff --git a/lisp/org-icalendar.el b/lisp/org-icalendar.el
index a1bc5ade0..d4034fe6d 100644
--- a/lisp/org-icalendar.el
+++ b/lisp/org-icalendar.el
@@ -302,6 +302,7 @@ When COMBINE is non nil, add the category to each line."
 	scheduledp deadlinep todo prefix due start
 	tmp pri categories location summary desc uid alarm
 	(sexp-buffer (get-buffer-create "*ical-tmp*")))
+    (org-refresh-category-properties)
     (save-excursion
       (goto-char (point-min))
       (while (re-search-forward re1 nil t)
diff --git a/lisp/org.el b/lisp/org.el
index 863a80b9d..e190b84d2 100644
--- a/lisp/org.el
+++ b/lisp/org.el
@@ -8142,11 +8142,7 @@ call CMD."
 
 (defun org-get-category (&optional pos)
   "Get the category applying to position POS."
-  (let ((pos (or pos (point))))
-    (or (get-text-property pos 'org-category)
-	(progn
-	  (org-refresh-category-properties)
-	  (get-text-property pos 'org-category)))))
+  (get-text-property (or pos (point)) 'org-category))
 
 (defun org-refresh-category-properties ()
   "Refresh category text properties in the buffer."
@@ -13486,7 +13482,10 @@ things up because then unnecessary parsing is avoided."
 						       'add_times))
 		    props))
 	  (unless (assoc "CATEGORY" props)
-	    (push (cons "CATEGORY" (org-get-category)) props))
+	    (setq value (or (org-get-category)
+			    (progn (org-refresh-category-properties)
+				   (org-get-category))))
+	    (push (cons "CATEGORY" value) props))
 	  (append sum-props (nreverse props)))))))
 
 (defun org-entry-get (pom property &optional inherit literal-nil)
@@ -15703,6 +15702,7 @@ When a buffer is unmodified, it is just killed.  When modified, it is saved
 	      (set-buffer (org-get-agenda-file-buffer file)))
 	    (widen)
 	    (setq bmp (buffer-modified-p))
+	    (org-refresh-category-properties)
 	    (setq org-todo-keywords-for-agenda
 		  (append org-todo-keywords-for-agenda org-todo-keywords-1))
 	    (setq org-done-keywords-for-agenda