diff --git a/data/json/item_category.json b/data/json/item_category.json
index 5b5a89b8bdd8c..4354b2c3efe9c 100644
--- a/data/json/item_category.json
+++ b/data/json/item_category.json
@@ -3,54 +3,63 @@
     "id": "guns",
     "type": "ITEM_CATEGORY",
     "name": "GUNS",
+    "zone": "LOOT_GUNS",
     "sort_rank": -23
   },
   {
     "id": "magazines",
     "type": "ITEM_CATEGORY",
     "name": "MAGAZINES",
+    "zone": "LOOT_MAGAZINES",
     "sort_rank": -22
   },
   {
     "id": "ammo",
     "type": "ITEM_CATEGORY",
     "name": "AMMO",
+    "zone": "LOOT_AMMO",
     "sort_rank": -21
   },
   {
     "id": "weapons",
     "type": "ITEM_CATEGORY",
     "name": "WEAPONS",
+    "zone": "LOOT_WEAPONS",
     "sort_rank": -20
   },
   {
     "id": "tools",
     "type": "ITEM_CATEGORY",
     "name": "TOOLS",
+    "zone": "LOOT_TOOLS",
     "sort_rank": -19
   },
   {
     "id": "clothing",
     "type": "ITEM_CATEGORY",
     "name": "CLOTHING",
+    "//": "zone is hardcoded due to filthy clothing",
     "sort_rank": -18
   },
   {
     "id": "food",
     "type": "ITEM_CATEGORY",
     "name": "FOOD",
+    "//": "zone is hardcoded",
     "sort_rank": -17
   },
   {
     "id": "drugs",
     "type": "ITEM_CATEGORY",
     "name": "DRUGS",
+    "zone": "LOOT_DRUGS",
     "sort_rank": -16
   },
   {
     "id": "books",
     "type": "ITEM_CATEGORY",
     "name": "BOOKS",
+    "zone": "LOOT_BOOKS",
     "sort_rank": -15
   },
   {
@@ -63,66 +72,77 @@
     "id": "mods",
     "type": "ITEM_CATEGORY",
     "name": "MODS",
+    "zone": "LOOT_MODS",
     "sort_rank": -13
   },
   {
     "id": "mutagen",
     "type": "ITEM_CATEGORY",
     "name": "MUTAGENS",
+    "zone": "LOOT_MUTAGENS",
     "sort_rank": -12
   },
   {
     "id": "bionics",
     "type": "ITEM_CATEGORY",
     "name": "BIONICS",
+    "zone": "LOOT_BIONICS",
     "sort_rank": -12
   },
   {
     "id": "veh_parts",
     "type": "ITEM_CATEGORY",
     "name": "VEHICLE PARTS",
+    "zone": "LOOT_VEHICLE_PARTS",
     "sort_rank": -10
   },
   {
     "id": "other",
     "type": "ITEM_CATEGORY",
     "name": "OTHER",
+    "zone": "LOOT_OTHER",
     "sort_rank": -9
   },
   {
     "id": "fuel",
     "type": "ITEM_CATEGORY",
     "name": "FUEL",
+    "zone": "LOOT_FUEL",
     "sort_rank": -8
   },
   {
     "id": "seeds",
     "type": "ITEM_CATEGORY",
     "name": "SEEDS",
+    "zone": "LOOT_SEEDS",
     "sort_rank": -7
   },
   {
     "id": "chems",
     "type": "ITEM_CATEGORY",
     "name": "CHEMICAL STUFF",
+    "zone": "LOOT_CHEMICAL",
     "sort_rank": 5
   },
   {
     "id": "spare_parts",
     "type": "ITEM_CATEGORY",
     "name": "SPARE PARTS",
+    "zone": "LOOT_SPARE_PARTS",
     "sort_rank": 8
   },
   {
     "id": "artifacts",
     "type": "ITEM_CATEGORY",
     "name": "ARTIFACTS",
+    "zone": "LOOT_ARTIFACTS",
     "sort_rank": 10
   },
   {
     "id": "armor",
     "type": "ITEM_CATEGORY",
     "name": "ARMOR",
+    "//": "zone is hardcoded due to filthy clothing",
     "sort_rank": 20
   },
   {
diff --git a/src/clzones.cpp b/src/clzones.cpp
index 74e24a32df5a7..2bba218fe1f05 100644
--- a/src/clzones.cpp
+++ b/src/clzones.cpp
@@ -827,7 +827,8 @@ cata::optional<tripoint> zone_manager::get_nearest( const zone_type_id &type, co
 zone_type_id zone_manager::get_near_zone_type_for_item( const item &it,
         const tripoint &where, int range ) const
 {
-    auto cat = it.get_category();
+    const item_category &cat = it.get_category();
+
     if( has_near( zone_type_id( "LOOT_CUSTOM" ), where, range ) ) {
         for( const auto elem : get_near( zone_type_id( "LOOT_CUSTOM" ), where, range, &it ) ) {
             ( void )elem;
@@ -845,6 +846,10 @@ zone_type_id zone_manager::get_near_zone_type_for_item( const item &it,
         }
     }
 
+    if( cat.zone() ) {
+        return *cat.zone();
+    }
+
     if( cat.get_id() == "food" ) {
         const bool preserves = it.is_food_container() && it.type->container->preserves;
         const auto &it_food = it.is_food_container() ? it.contents.front() : it;
@@ -865,63 +870,12 @@ zone_type_id zone_manager::get_near_zone_type_for_item( const item &it,
 
         return zone_type_id( "LOOT_FOOD" );
     }
-    if( cat.get_id() == "guns" ) {
-        return zone_type_id( "LOOT_GUNS" );
-    }
-    if( cat.get_id() == "magazines" ) {
-        return zone_type_id( "LOOT_MAGAZINES" );
-    }
-    if( cat.get_id() == "ammo" ) {
-        return zone_type_id( "LOOT_AMMO" );
-    }
-    if( cat.get_id() == "weapons" ) {
-        return zone_type_id( "LOOT_WEAPONS" );
-    }
-    if( cat.get_id() == "tools" ) {
-        return zone_type_id( "LOOT_TOOLS" );
-    }
     if( cat.get_id() == "clothing" ) {
         if( it.is_filthy() && has_near( zone_type_id( "LOOT_FCLOTHING" ), where, range ) ) {
             return zone_type_id( "LOOT_FCLOTHING" );
         }
         return zone_type_id( "LOOT_CLOTHING" );
     }
-    if( cat.get_id() == "drugs" ) {
-        return zone_type_id( "LOOT_DRUGS" );
-    }
-    if( cat.get_id() == "books" ) {
-        return zone_type_id( "LOOT_BOOKS" );
-    }
-    if( cat.get_id() == "mods" ) {
-        return zone_type_id( "LOOT_MODS" );
-    }
-    if( cat.get_id() == "mutagen" ) {
-        return zone_type_id( "LOOT_MUTAGENS" );
-    }
-    if( cat.get_id() == "bionics" ) {
-        return zone_type_id( "LOOT_BIONICS" );
-    }
-    if( cat.get_id() == "veh_parts" ) {
-        return zone_type_id( "LOOT_VEHICLE_PARTS" );
-    }
-    if( cat.get_id() == "other" ) {
-        return zone_type_id( "LOOT_OTHER" );
-    }
-    if( cat.get_id() == "fuel" ) {
-        return zone_type_id( "LOOT_FUEL" );
-    }
-    if( cat.get_id() == "seeds" ) {
-        return zone_type_id( "LOOT_SEEDS" );
-    }
-    if( cat.get_id() == "chems" ) {
-        return zone_type_id( "LOOT_CHEMICAL" );
-    }
-    if( cat.get_id() == "spare_parts" ) {
-        return zone_type_id( "LOOT_SPARE_PARTS" );
-    }
-    if( cat.get_id() == "artifacts" ) {
-        return zone_type_id( "LOOT_ARTIFACTS" );
-    }
     if( cat.get_id() == "armor" ) {
         if( it.is_filthy() && has_near( zone_type_id( "LOOT_FARMOR" ), where, range ) ) {
             return zone_type_id( "LOOT_FARMOR" );
diff --git a/src/item_category.cpp b/src/item_category.cpp
index 6c43d182e18a1..64feac313b1e0 100644
--- a/src/item_category.cpp
+++ b/src/item_category.cpp
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ void item_category::load( JsonObject &jo, const std::string & )
     mandatory( jo, was_loaded, "id", id );
     mandatory( jo, was_loaded, "name", name_ );
     mandatory( jo, was_loaded, "sort_rank", sort_rank_ );
+    optional( jo, was_loaded, "zone", zone_, cata::nullopt );
 }
 
 bool item_category::operator<( const item_category &rhs ) const
@@ -62,6 +63,11 @@ item_category_id item_category::get_id() const
     return id;
 }
 
+cata::optional<zone_type_id> item_category::zone() const
+{
+    return zone_;
+}
+
 int item_category::sort_rank() const
 {
     return sort_rank_;
diff --git a/src/item_category.h b/src/item_category.h
index c1bd27134ef0f..953312c3532b2 100644
--- a/src/item_category.h
+++ b/src/item_category.h
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 
 #include <string>
 
+#include "optional.h"
 #include "translations.h"
 #include "type_id.h"
 
@@ -24,6 +25,8 @@ class item_category
         /** Used to sort categories when displaying.  Lower values are shown first. */
         int sort_rank_ = 0;
 
+        cata::optional<zone_type_id> zone_;
+
     public:
         /** Unique ID of this category, used when loading from JSON. */
         item_category_id id;
@@ -41,6 +44,7 @@ class item_category
 
         std::string name() const;
         item_category_id get_id() const;
+        cata::optional<zone_type_id> zone() const;
         int sort_rank() const;
 
         /**