diff --git a/app/models/tag.rb b/app/models/tag.rb
index 9dff4733d60..68595258207 100644
--- a/app/models/tag.rb
+++ b/app/models/tag.rb
@@ -147,10 +147,10 @@ def categorization
         {}
       else
         {
-          "name"         => classification.name,
-          "description"  => classification.description,
-          "category"     => {"name" => category.name, "description" => category.description},
-          "display_name" => "#{category.description}: #{classification.description}"
+          "name"         => classification.try(:name),
+          "description"  => classification.try(:description),
+          "category"     => {"name" => category.try(:name), "description" => category.try(:description)},
+          "display_name" => "#{category.try(:description)}: #{classification.try(:description)}"
         }
       end
   end
diff --git a/spec/models/tag_spec.rb b/spec/models/tag_spec.rb
index 6b6e3da4054..fd241302dde 100644
--- a/spec/models/tag_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/tag_spec.rb
@@ -103,6 +103,18 @@
       expect(categorization).to eq(expected_categorization)
     end
 
+    it "tag with nil classification" do
+      @tag.classification = nil
+      categorization = @tag.categorization
+
+      expected_categorization = {"name"         => nil,
+                                 "description"  => nil,
+                                 "category"     => {"name" => @category.name, "description" => @category.description},
+                                 "display_name" => "#{@category.description}: "}
+      expect(@tag.show).to eq(true)
+      expect(categorization).to eq(expected_categorization)
+    end
+
     it "category tags have no category" do
       category_tag = @tag.category.tag
       expect(category_tag.category).to be_nil