diff --git a/app/models/classification.rb b/app/models/classification.rb
index 6a5464eca867..747c0b609fc1 100644
--- a/app/models/classification.rb
+++ b/app/models/classification.rb
@@ -24,13 +24,14 @@ class Classification < ApplicationRecord
 
   validates :syntax, :inclusion => {:in      => %w( string integer boolean ),
                                     :message => "should be one of 'string', 'integer' or 'boolean'"}
+  before_validation :nil_parent
 
   scope :visible,    -> { where(:show => true) }
   scope :read_only,  -> { where(:read_only => true) }
   scope :writeable,  -> { where(:read_only => false) }
 
-  scope :is_category, -> { where(:parent_id => 0) }
-  scope :is_entry,    -> { where.not(:parent_id => 0) }
+  scope :is_category, -> { where(:parent_id => nil) }
+  scope :is_entry,    -> { where.not(:parent_id => nil) }
 
   scope :with_writable_parents, -> { includes(:parent).where(:parents_classifications => { :read_only => false}) }
 
@@ -196,7 +197,7 @@ def self.get_tags_from_object(obj)
   end
 
   def self.create_category!(options)
-    self.create!(options.merge(:parent_id => 0))
+    self.create!(options.merge(:parent_id => nil))
   end
 
   def self.categories(region_id = my_region_number, ns = DEFAULT_NAMESPACE)
@@ -306,7 +307,7 @@ def to_tag
   end
 
   def category?
-    parent_id == 0
+    parent_id.nil?
   end
 
   def category
@@ -327,11 +328,13 @@ def find_entry_by_name(name, region_id = my_region_number)
     self.class.find_by_name(name, region_id, ns, self)
   end
 
-  def self.find_by_name(name, region_id = my_region_number, ns = DEFAULT_NAMESPACE, parent_id = 0)
+  # @param parent_id [Integer|Parent] node for the parent. This is only passed in for find_entry_by_name
+  def self.find_by_name(name, region_id = my_region_number, ns = DEFAULT_NAMESPACE, parent_id = nil)
     find_by_names([name], region_id, ns, parent_id).first
   end
 
-  def self.find_by_names(names, region_id = my_region_number, ns = DEFAULT_NAMESPACE, parent_id = 0)
+  # @param parent_id [Integer|Parent] node for the parent. This is only passed in for find_entry_by_name
+  def self.find_by_names(names, region_id = my_region_number, ns = DEFAULT_NAMESPACE, parent_id = nil)
     tag_names = names.map { |name| name2tag(name, parent_id, ns) }
     # NOTE: tags is a subselect - not an array of ids
     tags = Tag.in_region(region_id).where(:name => tag_names).select(:id)
@@ -395,7 +398,7 @@ def self.import_from_hash(classification, parent = nil)
 
     stats = {"categories" => 0, "entries" => 0}
 
-    if classification["parent_id"] == 0 # category
+    if parent.nil?
       cat = find_by_name(classification["name"])
       if cat
         _log.info("Skipping Classification (already in DB): Category: name=[#{classification["name"]}]")
@@ -451,9 +454,6 @@ def self.seed
       category.save!
       add_entries_from_hash(category, c[:entries])
     end
-
-    # Fix categories that have a nill parent_id
-    where(:parent_id => nil).update_all(:parent_id => 0)
   end
 
   def self.sanitize_name(name)
@@ -492,8 +492,8 @@ def validate_format_of_name
     end
   end
 
-  def self.name2tag(name, parent_id = 0, ns = DEFAULT_NAMESPACE)
-    if parent_id == 0
+  def self.name2tag(name, parent_id = nil, ns = DEFAULT_NAMESPACE)
+    if parent_id == 0 || parent_id.nil?
       File.join(ns, name)
     else
       c = parent_id.kind_of?(Classification) ? parent_id : Classification.find(parent_id)
@@ -523,12 +523,12 @@ def self.tag2human(tag)
   private_class_method :tag2human
 
   def find_tag
-    tag_name = Classification.name2tag(name, parent_id, ns)
+    tag_name = Classification.name2tag(name, parent, ns)
     Tag.in_region(region_id).find_by(:name => tag_name)
   end
 
   def save_tag
-    tag_name = Classification.name2tag(name, parent_id, ns)
+    tag_name = Classification.name2tag(name, parent, ns)
     self.tag = Tag.in_region(region_id).find_or_create_by(:name => tag_name)
   end
 
@@ -559,4 +559,8 @@ def delete_tags_and_entries
 
     delete_tag_and_taggings
   end
+
+  def nil_parent
+    self.parent_id = nil if parent_id == 0
+  end
 end
diff --git a/app/models/vm_or_template.rb b/app/models/vm_or_template.rb
index 2f8a3ae70203..f49fcb025edb 100644
--- a/app/models/vm_or_template.rb
+++ b/app/models/vm_or_template.rb
@@ -1383,7 +1383,6 @@ def self.folder_category(folder_type)
       cat = Classification.new(
         :name         => cat_name,
         :description  => "Parent Folder Path (#{folder_type == :blue ? "VMs & Templates" : "Hosts & Clusters"})",
-        :parent_id    => 0,
         :single_value => true,
         :read_only    => true
       )
diff --git a/db/fixtures/classifications.yml b/db/fixtures/classifications.yml
index fffaeec05a15..1e8ededb235d 100644
--- a/db/fixtures/classifications.yml
+++ b/db/fixtures/classifications.yml
@@ -34,7 +34,6 @@
   :show: true
   :name: location
   :example_text: The geographic location of the resource, such as New York, Chicago, or London.
-  :parent_id: 0
   :default: true
   :single_value: "1"
 - :description: Workload
@@ -107,7 +106,6 @@
   :show: true
   :name: function
   :example_text: The workloads a resource provides, such as Web Server, Database, or Firewall.
-  :parent_id: 0
   :default: true
   :single_value: "0"
 - :description: Owner
@@ -138,7 +136,6 @@
   :show: true
   :name: owner
   :example_text: The individual or group that owns the resource.
-  :parent_id: 0
   :default: true
   :single_value: "1"
 - :description: Environment
@@ -183,7 +180,6 @@
   :show: true
   :name: environment
   :example_text: The resource environment, such as Development, QA, Test, or Production
-  :parent_id: 0
   :default: true
   :single_value: "1"
 - :description: User roles
@@ -242,7 +238,6 @@
   :show: true
   :name: role
   :example_text:
-  :parent_id: 0
   :default: true
   :single_value: "1"
   :ns: /managed/user
@@ -274,7 +269,6 @@
   :show: true
   :name: service_level
   :example_text: The level of service associated with this resource.
-  :parent_id: 0
   :default: true
   :single_value: "1"
 - :description: Customer
@@ -285,7 +279,6 @@
   :show: true
   :name: customer
   :example_text: The name of the customer associated with this resource.
-  :parent_id: 0
   :default: true
   :single_value: t
 - :description: Line of Business
@@ -296,7 +289,6 @@
   :show: true
   :name: lob
   :example_text: The Line of Business the resource is assigned to, such as Retail, Trading, or Manufacturing.
-  :parent_id: 0
   :default: true
   :single_value: "0"
 - :description: Department
@@ -418,7 +410,6 @@
   :show: true
   :name: department
   :example_text: The department the resource is assigned to, such as HR, Accounting, or Sales.
-  :parent_id: 0
   :default: true
   :single_value: "0"
 - :description: Cost Center
@@ -442,7 +433,6 @@
   :show: true
   :name: cc
   :example_text: Cost Center
-  :parent_id: 0
   :default: true
   :single_value: "1"
 - :description: Network Location
@@ -473,7 +463,6 @@
   :show: true
   :name: network_location
   :example_text: The network location the resource is to be used, such as DMZ, Internal network or Cloud
-  :parent_id: 0
   :default: true
   :single_value: "1"
 - :description: Exclusions
@@ -497,7 +486,6 @@
   :show: true
   :name: exclusions
   :example_text: Operations that the resource may be excluded from, such as Analysis or Cloning.
-  :parent_id: 0
   :default: true
   :single_value: "0"
 - :description: Provisioning Scope
@@ -521,7 +509,6 @@
   :show: true
   :name: prov_scope
   :example_text: Provisioning Scope
-  :parent_id: 0
   :default: true
   :single_value: "0"
 - :description: EVM Operations
@@ -552,7 +539,6 @@
   :show: true
   :name: operations
   :example_text: Operations
-  :parent_id: 0
   :default: true
   :single_value: "1"
 - :description: Quota - Max CPUs
@@ -632,7 +618,6 @@
   :show: true
   :name: quota_max_cpu
   :example_text: Maximum number of CPUs allowed by Quota
-  :parent_id: 0
   :default: true
   :single_value: "1"
 - :description: Auto Approve - Max CPU
@@ -677,7 +662,6 @@
   :show: true
   :name: prov_max_cpu
   :example_text: Maximum number of CPUs allowed by Auto Approval
-  :parent_id: 0
   :default: true
   :single_value: "1"
 - :description: Auto Approve - Max VM
@@ -722,7 +706,6 @@
   :show: true
   :name: prov_max_vm
   :example_text: Maximum number of VMs allowed by Auto Approval
-  :parent_id: 0
   :default: true
   :single_value: "1"
 - :description: Quota - Max  Memory
@@ -788,7 +771,6 @@
   :show: true
   :name: quota_max_memory
   :example_text: Maximum Memory allowed by Quota (GB)
-  :parent_id: 0
   :default: true
   :single_value: "1"
 - :description: Auto Approve - Max Memory
@@ -826,7 +808,6 @@
   :show: true
   :name: prov_max_memory
   :example_text: Maximum Memory allowed by Auto Approval (GB)
-  :parent_id: 0
   :default: true
   :single_value: "1"
 - :description: Quota - Max  Storage
@@ -885,7 +866,6 @@
   :show: true
   :name: quota_max_storage
   :example_text: Maximum Storage allowed by Quota (GB)
-  :parent_id: 0
   :default: true
   :single_value: "1"
 - :description: Auto Approve - Max Retirement Days
@@ -923,7 +903,6 @@
   :show: true
   :name: prov_max_retirement_days
   :example_text: Maximum Days for Retirement allowed by Auto Approval
-  :parent_id: 0
   :default: true
   :single_value: "1"
 - :description: LifeCycle
@@ -940,7 +919,6 @@
   :show: true
   :name: lifecycle
   :example_text: LifeCycle Options
-  :parent_id: 0
   :default: true
   :single_value: "1"
 - :description: Migration Group
@@ -971,7 +949,6 @@
   :show: true
   :name: migration_group
   :example_text: Group of VMs prepared for migration.
-  :parent_id: 0
   :default: true
   :single_value: "1"
 - :description: Network Mapping
@@ -988,7 +965,6 @@
   :show: true
   :name: network_mapping
   :example_text: Mapping between source network(s) and a destination network for migration.
-  :parent_id: 0
   :default: true
   :single_value: "1"
 - :description: Storage Mapping
@@ -1019,7 +995,6 @@
   :show: true
   :name: storage_mapping
   :example_text: Mapping between source storage(s) and a destination storage for migration.
-  :parent_id: 0
   :default: true
   :single_value: "1"
 - :description: V2V - Transformation Host
@@ -1043,7 +1018,6 @@
   :show: true
   :name: v2v_transformation_host
   :example_text: Transformation Host role enabled for V2V.
-  :parent_id: 0
   :default: true
   :single_value: "1"
 - :description: V2V - Transformation Method
@@ -1067,7 +1041,6 @@
   :show: true
   :name: v2v_transformation_method
   :example_text: Transformation methods supported for V2V.
-  :parent_id: 0
   :default: true
   :single_value: "0"
 - :description: Transformation Status
@@ -1084,6 +1057,5 @@
   :show: true
   :name: transformation_status
   :example_text: VM has been migrated.
-  :parent_id: 0
   :default: true
   :single_value: "1"
diff --git a/spec/factories/categories.rb b/spec/factories/categories.rb
index f00c85a358b2..977257f73117 100644
--- a/spec/factories/categories.rb
+++ b/spec/factories/categories.rb
@@ -2,6 +2,5 @@
   factory(:category) do
     sequence(:name)        { |n| "category_#{seq_padded_for_sorting(n)}" }
     sequence(:description) { |n| "category #{seq_padded_for_sorting(n)}" }
-    parent_id 0
   end
 end
diff --git a/spec/factories/classification.rb b/spec/factories/classification.rb
index b18d2e52f720..b2baa336c0db 100644
--- a/spec/factories/classification.rb
+++ b/spec/factories/classification.rb
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@
   factory :classification do
     sequence(:name)        { |n| "category_#{seq_padded_for_sorting(n)}" }
     sequence(:description) { |n| "category #{seq_padded_for_sorting(n)}" }
-    parent_id 0
   end
 
   factory :classification_tag, :class => :Classification do
diff --git a/spec/lib/task_helpers/exports/tags_spec.rb b/spec/lib/task_helpers/exports/tags_spec.rb
index 4ec8862c308e..0d859c9bc4e3 100644
--- a/spec/lib/task_helpers/exports/tags_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/lib/task_helpers/exports/tags_spec.rb
@@ -11,7 +11,6 @@
       "syntax"       => "string",
       "single_value" => false,
       "example_text" => nil,
-      "parent_id"    => 0,
       "show"         => true,
       "default"      => nil,
       "perf_by_tag"  => nil,
@@ -45,7 +44,6 @@
       "syntax"       => "string",
       "single_value" => false,
       "example_text" => nil,
-      "parent_id"    => 0,
       "show"         => true,
       "default"      => true,
       "perf_by_tag"  => nil,
@@ -69,7 +67,6 @@
       "syntax"       => "string",
       "single_value" => false,
       "example_text" => nil,
-      "parent_id"    => 0,
       "show"         => true,
       "default"      => true,
       "perf_by_tag"  => nil,
diff --git a/spec/lib/task_helpers/imports/data/tags/Import_Test.yaml b/spec/lib/task_helpers/imports/data/tags/Import_Test.yaml
index ca01193df845..a34723c19439 100644
--- a/spec/lib/task_helpers/imports/data/tags/Import_Test.yaml
+++ b/spec/lib/task_helpers/imports/data/tags/Import_Test.yaml
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@
   syntax: string
   single_value: true
   example_text: Tag Import Test
-  parent_id: 0
   show: true
   default:
   perf_by_tag: false
diff --git a/spec/lib/task_helpers/imports/data/tags/Location.yaml b/spec/lib/task_helpers/imports/data/tags/Location.yaml
index 289f67fbdd41..9abf5ac5ba06 100644
--- a/spec/lib/task_helpers/imports/data/tags/Location.yaml
+++ b/spec/lib/task_helpers/imports/data/tags/Location.yaml
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@
   single_value: true
   example_text: The geographic location of the resource, such as New York, Chicago,
     or London.
-  parent_id: 0
   show: true
   default: true
   perf_by_tag:
diff --git a/spec/lib/task_helpers/imports/data/tags/Tag_Test_Fail_Cat.yml b/spec/lib/task_helpers/imports/data/tags/Tag_Test_Fail_Cat.yml
index b1fc64287a74..d7d251b052ec 100644
--- a/spec/lib/task_helpers/imports/data/tags/Tag_Test_Fail_Cat.yml
+++ b/spec/lib/task_helpers/imports/data/tags/Tag_Test_Fail_Cat.yml
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@
   syntax: string
   single_value: true
   example_text: Brant Test
-  parent_id: 0
   show: true
   default:
   perf_by_tag: false
diff --git a/spec/lib/task_helpers/imports/data/tags/Tag_Test_Fail_Entry.yml b/spec/lib/task_helpers/imports/data/tags/Tag_Test_Fail_Entry.yml
index ce1fca2ce456..fc1670ac2c54 100644
--- a/spec/lib/task_helpers/imports/data/tags/Tag_Test_Fail_Entry.yml
+++ b/spec/lib/task_helpers/imports/data/tags/Tag_Test_Fail_Entry.yml
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@
   syntax: string
   single_value: true
   example_text: Brant Test
-  parent_id: 0
   show: true
   default:
   perf_by_tag: false
diff --git a/spec/models/classification_spec.rb b/spec/models/classification_spec.rb
index 01aa59dcd4b0..dbe1287a2b73 100644
--- a/spec/models/classification_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/classification_spec.rb
@@ -192,7 +192,7 @@
        'My_Name_is...',
        '123456789_123456789_123456789_123456789_123456789_1'
       ].each do |name|
-        cat = Classification.new(:name => name, :parent_id => 0)
+        cat = Classification.new(:name => name)
 
         expect(cat).to_not be_valid
         expect(cat.errors[:name].size).to eq(1)
@@ -206,7 +206,7 @@
        '123456789_123456789_123456789_123456789_123456789_1'
       ].each do |name|
         good_name = Classification.sanitize_name(name)
-        cat = Classification.new(:name => good_name, :description => name, :parent_id => 0)
+        cat = Classification.new(:name => good_name, :description => name)
         expect(cat).to be_valid
       end
     end
@@ -408,7 +408,6 @@
          :read_only    => "0",
          :syntax       => "string",
          :show         => true,
-         :parent_id    => 0,
          :default      => true,
          :single_value => "1",
          :entries      => [{:description => "Cost Center 001", :name => "001"},
@@ -563,6 +562,16 @@
     end
   end
 
+  describe '.create_category!' do
+    it "is a category" do
+      c1 = Classification.create_category!(:name => 'a', :description => 'a')
+      c2 = Classification.create_category!(:name => 'b', :description => 'b', :parent => c1)
+
+      expect(c1).to be_category
+      expect(c2).to be_category
+    end
+  end
+
   def all_tagged_with(target, all, category = nil)
     tagged_with(target, :all => all, :cat => category)
   end