diff --git a/admin_tickets.php b/admin_tickets.php
index 188681c8..b140fc17 100644
--- a/admin_tickets.php
+++ b/admin_tickets.php
@@ -473,7 +473,8 @@ elseif($page == 'categories'
 			
 			if($order < 1 || $order >= 1000)
 			{
-				$order = 1;
+				// use the latest available
+				$order = ticket::getHighestOrderNumber($db) + 1;
 			}
 
 			if($category == '')
@@ -489,6 +490,7 @@ elseif($page == 'categories'
 		}
 		else
 		{
+			$order = ticket::getHighestOrderNumber($db) + 1;
 			eval("echo \"" . getTemplate("ticket/tickets_newcategory") . "\";");
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/lib/classes/ticket/class.ticket.php b/lib/classes/ticket/class.ticket.php
index 910937a9..6103c308 100644
--- a/lib/classes/ticket/class.ticket.php
+++ b/lib/classes/ticket/class.ticket.php
@@ -442,6 +442,20 @@ class ticket
 		return null;
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * get the highest order number
+	 * 
+	 * @param object $_db database-object
+	 * 
+	 * @return int highest order number
+	 */
+	static public function getHighestOrderNumber($_db = null)
+	{
+		$sql = "SELECT MAX(`logicalorder`) as `highestorder` FROM `" . TABLE_PANEL_TICKET_CATS . "`;";
+		$result = $_db->query_first($sql);
+		return (isset($result['highestorder']) ? (int)$result['highestorder'] : 1);
+	}
+
 	/**
 	 * returns the last x archived tickets
 	 */