diff --git a/commons/res/layout/fragment_categorization.xml b/commons/res/layout/fragment_categorization.xml
index 1f2b372b7..893a8a198 100644
--- a/commons/res/layout/fragment_categorization.xml
+++ b/commons/res/layout/fragment_categorization.xml
@@ -29,6 +29,14 @@
             />
     </FrameLayout>
 
+    <TextView
+            android:id="@+id/categoriesNotFound"
+            android:layout_height="wrap_content"
+            android:layout_width="match_parent"
+            android:visibility="gone"
+            android:gravity="center"
+            />
+
     <ListView
         android:id="@+id/categoriesListBox"
         android:layout_height="wrap_content"
diff --git a/commons/res/values/strings.xml b/commons/res/values/strings.xml
index cbad387c8..e5dec73c7 100644
--- a/commons/res/values/strings.xml
+++ b/commons/res/values/strings.xml
@@ -68,4 +68,6 @@
         <item quantity="one">1 upload</item>
         <item quantity="other">%d uploads</item>
     </plurals>
+
+    <string name="categories_not_found">No categories matching %1$s found</string>
 </resources>
diff --git a/commons/src/main/java/org/wikimedia/commons/CategorizationFragment.java b/commons/src/main/java/org/wikimedia/commons/CategorizationFragment.java
index edfd19d2d..0fa311b5b 100644
--- a/commons/src/main/java/org/wikimedia/commons/CategorizationFragment.java
+++ b/commons/src/main/java/org/wikimedia/commons/CategorizationFragment.java
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ public class CategorizationFragment extends SherlockFragment{
     ListView categoriesList;
     EditText categoriesFilter;
     ProgressBar categoriesSearchInProgress;
+    TextView categoriesNotFoundView;
 
     CategoriesAdapter categoriesAdapter;
     CategoriesUpdater lastUpdater = null;
@@ -85,6 +86,7 @@ public class CategorizationFragment extends SherlockFragment{
             super.onPreExecute();
             filter = categoriesFilter.getText().toString();
             categoriesSearchInProgress.setVisibility(View.VISIBLE);
+            categoriesNotFoundView.setVisibility(View.GONE);
         }
 
         @Override
@@ -106,6 +108,10 @@ public class CategorizationFragment extends SherlockFragment{
             categoriesAdapter.setItems(items);
             categoriesAdapter.notifyDataSetInvalidated();
             categoriesSearchInProgress.setVisibility(View.GONE);
+            if(!TextUtils.isEmpty(filter) && categories.size() == 0) {
+                categoriesNotFoundView.setText(getString(R.string.categories_not_found, filter));
+                categoriesNotFoundView.setVisibility(View.VISIBLE);
+            }
         }
 
         @Override
@@ -195,6 +201,7 @@ public class CategorizationFragment extends SherlockFragment{
         categoriesList = (ListView) rootView.findViewById(R.id.categoriesListBox);
         categoriesFilter = (EditText) rootView.findViewById(R.id.categoriesSearchBox);
         categoriesSearchInProgress = (ProgressBar) rootView.findViewById(R.id.categoriesSearchInProgress);
+        categoriesNotFoundView = (TextView) rootView.findViewById(R.id.categoriesNotFound);
 
         ArrayList<CategoryItem> items;
         if(savedInstanceState == null) {