diff --git a/plugins/community_track/lib/community_track_plugin/track.rb b/plugins/community_track/lib/community_track_plugin/track.rb
index c267bdf..2f2f1ea 100644
--- a/plugins/community_track/lib/community_track_plugin/track.rb
+++ b/plugins/community_track/lib/community_track_plugin/track.rb
@@ -3,6 +3,12 @@ class CommunityTrackPlugin::Track < Folder
   settings_items :goals, :type => :string
   settings_items :expected_results, :type => :string
 
+  validate :validate_categories
+
+  def validate_categories
+    errors.add(:categories, _('should not be blank.')) if categories.empty? && pending_categorizations.blank?
+  end
+
   def self.icon_name(article = nil)
     'community-track'
   end
diff --git a/plugins/community_track/test/functional/community_track_plugin_cms_controller_test.rb b/plugins/community_track/test/functional/community_track_plugin_cms_controller_test.rb
index 8ae47d3..ab48f9d 100644
--- a/plugins/community_track/test/functional/community_track_plugin_cms_controller_test.rb
+++ b/plugins/community_track/test/functional/community_track_plugin_cms_controller_test.rb
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ class CmsControllerTest < ActionController::TestCase
 
   def setup
     @profile = fast_create(Community)
-    @track = CommunityTrackPlugin::Track.create!(:abstract => 'abstract', :body => 'body', :name => 'track', :profile => @profile)
+    @track = create_track('track', @profile)
     @step = CommunityTrackPlugin::Step.create!(:name => 'step1', :body => 'body', :profile => @profile, :parent => @track, :published => false, :end_date => Date.today, :start_date => Date.today)
 
     user = create_user('testinguser')
diff --git a/plugins/community_track/test/functional/community_track_plugin_content_viewer_controller_test.rb b/plugins/community_track/test/functional/community_track_plugin_content_viewer_controller_test.rb
index 5ea9fec..42c4752 100644
--- a/plugins/community_track/test/functional/community_track_plugin_content_viewer_controller_test.rb
+++ b/plugins/community_track/test/functional/community_track_plugin_content_viewer_controller_test.rb
@@ -11,10 +11,7 @@ class ContentViewerControllerTest < ActionController::TestCase
 
   def setup
     @profile = fast_create(Community)
-    @track = CommunityTrackPlugin::Track.create!(:abstract => 'abstract', :body => 'body', :name => 'track', :profile => @profile)
-    category = fast_create(Category, :name => "education")
-    @track.add_category(category)
-
+    @track = create_track('track', @profile)
     @step = CommunityTrackPlugin::Step.create!(:name => 'step1', :body => 'body', :profile => @profile, :parent => @track, :published => false, :end_date => Date.today, :start_date => Date.today, :tool_type => TinyMceArticle.name)
 
     user = create_user('testinguser')
@@ -110,7 +107,7 @@ class ContentViewerControllerTest < ActionController::TestCase
     @block = CommunityTrackPlugin::TrackListBlock.create!(:box => box)
     @profile.boxes << box
     get :view_page, @step.url
-    assert_tag :tag => 'div', :attributes => { :class => 'item category_education' }, :descendant => { :tag => 'div', :attributes => { :class => 'steps' }, :descendant => { :tag => 'div', :attributes => { :class => "step #{@block.status_class(@step)}" } } }
+    assert_tag :tag => 'div', :attributes => { :class => "item category_#{@track.category_name}" }, :descendant => { :tag => 'div', :attributes => { :class => 'steps' }, :descendant => { :tag => 'div', :attributes => { :class => "step #{@block.status_class(@step)}" } } }
   end
 
   should 'render tracks in track card list block' do
@@ -118,8 +115,8 @@ class ContentViewerControllerTest < ActionController::TestCase
     @block = CommunityTrackPlugin::TrackCardListBlock.create!(:box => box)
     @profile.boxes << box
     get :view_page, @step.url
-    assert_tag :tag => 'div', :attributes => { :class => 'item_card category_education' }, :descendant => { :tag => 'div', :attributes => { :class => 'track_content' } }
-    assert_tag :tag => 'div', :attributes => { :class => 'item_card category_education' }, :descendant => { :tag => 'div', :attributes => { :class => 'track_stats' } }
+    assert_tag :tag => 'div', :attributes => { :class => "item_card category_#{@track.category_name}" }, :descendant => { :tag => 'div', :attributes => { :class => 'track_content' } }
+    assert_tag :tag => 'div', :attributes => { :class => "item_card category_#{@track.category_name}" }, :descendant => { :tag => 'div', :attributes => { :class => 'track_stats' } }
   end
 
   should 'render link to display more tracks in track list block' do
@@ -127,9 +124,7 @@ class ContentViewerControllerTest < ActionController::TestCase
     @block = CommunityTrackPlugin::TrackCardListBlock.create!(:box => box)
     @profile.boxes << box
 
-    (@block.limit+1).times do |i|
-      CommunityTrackPlugin::Track.create!(:abstract => 'abstract', :body => 'body', :name => "track#{i}", :profile => @profile)
-    end
+    (@block.limit+1).times { |i| create_track("track#{i}", @profile) }
 
     get :view_page, @step.url
     assert_tag :tag => 'div', :attributes => { :id => "track_list_more_#{@block.id}" }, :descendant => { :tag => 'div', :attributes => { :class => 'more' } }
@@ -142,9 +137,7 @@ class ContentViewerControllerTest < ActionController::TestCase
     @block.more_another_page = true
     @block.save!
 
-    (@block.limit+1).times do |i|
-      CommunityTrackPlugin::Track.create!(:abstract => 'abstract', :body => 'body', :name => "track#{i}", :profile => @profile)
-    end
+    (@block.limit+1).times { |i| create_track("track#{i}", @profile) }
 
     get :view_page, @step.url
     assert_tag :tag => 'div', :attributes => { :id => "track_list_more_#{@block.id}" }, :descendant => { :tag => 'div', :attributes => { :class => 'view_all' } }
diff --git a/plugins/community_track/test/functional/community_track_plugin_myprofile_controller_test.rb b/plugins/community_track/test/functional/community_track_plugin_myprofile_controller_test.rb
index a3a2887..faa5cde 100644
--- a/plugins/community_track/test/functional/community_track_plugin_myprofile_controller_test.rb
+++ b/plugins/community_track/test/functional/community_track_plugin_myprofile_controller_test.rb
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ class CommunityTrackPluginMyprofileControllerTest < ActionController::TestCase
     @response   = ActionController::TestResponse.new
 
     @profile = fast_create(Community)
-    @track = CommunityTrackPlugin::Track.create!(:abstract => 'abstract', :body => 'body', :name => 'track', :profile => @profile)
+    @track = create_track('track', @profile)
 
     @user = create_user('testinguser')
     login_as(@user.login)
diff --git a/plugins/community_track/test/functional/community_track_plugin_public_controller_test.rb b/plugins/community_track/test/functional/community_track_plugin_public_controller_test.rb
index 63660bb..18e9359 100644
--- a/plugins/community_track/test/functional/community_track_plugin_public_controller_test.rb
+++ b/plugins/community_track/test/functional/community_track_plugin_public_controller_test.rb
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ class CommunityTrackPluginPublicControllerTest < ActionController::TestCase
 
   def setup
     @community = fast_create(Community)
-    @track = CommunityTrackPlugin::Track.create!(:abstract => 'abstract', :body => 'body', :name => 'track', :profile => @community)
+    @track = create_track('track', @community)
 
     box = fast_create(Box, :owner_id => @community.id, :owner_type => 'Community')
     @card_block = CommunityTrackPlugin::TrackCardListBlock.create!(:box => box)
@@ -26,17 +26,13 @@ class CommunityTrackPluginPublicControllerTest < ActionController::TestCase
   end
 
   should 'display tracks with page size' do
-    20.times do |i|
-      track = CommunityTrackPlugin::Track.create!(:abstract => 'abstract', :body => 'body', :name => "track#{i}", :profile => @community)
-    end
+    20.times { |i| create_track("track#{i}", @community) }
     xhr :get, :view_tracks, :id => @block.id, :page => 1, :per_page => 10
     assert_equal 10, @response.body.scan(/item/).size
   end
 
   should 'default page size is the block limit' do
-    20.times do |i|
-      track = CommunityTrackPlugin::Track.create!(:abstract => 'abstract', :body => 'body', :name => "track#{i}", :profile => @community)
-    end
+    20.times { |i| create_track("track#{i}", @community) }
     xhr :get, :view_tracks, :id => @block.id, :page => 1
     assert_equal @block.limit, @response.body.scan(/item/).size
   end
@@ -47,9 +43,7 @@ class CommunityTrackPluginPublicControllerTest < ActionController::TestCase
   end
 
   should 'show more link in all tracks if there is no more tracks to show' do
-    10.times do |i|
-      CommunityTrackPlugin::Track.create!(:abstract => 'abstract', :body => 'body', :name => "track#{i}", :profile => @community)
-    end
+    10.times { |i| create_track("track#{i}", @community) }
     get :all_tracks, :id => @block.id
     assert assigns['show_more']
     assert_match /track_list_more_#{@block.id}/, @response.body
diff --git a/plugins/community_track/test/test_helper.rb b/plugins/community_track/test/test_helper.rb
index cca1fd3..8e64f83 100644
--- a/plugins/community_track/test/test_helper.rb
+++ b/plugins/community_track/test/test_helper.rb
@@ -1 +1,8 @@
 require File.dirname(__FILE__) + '/../../../test/test_helper'
+
+def create_track(name, profile)
+  track = CommunityTrackPlugin::Track.new(:abstract => 'abstract', :body => 'body', :name => name, :profile => profile)
+  track.add_category(fast_create(Category))
+  track.save!
+  track
+end
diff --git a/plugins/community_track/test/unit/community_track_plugin/step_test.rb b/plugins/community_track/test/unit/community_track_plugin/step_test.rb
index 376234f..cece41b 100644
--- a/plugins/community_track/test/unit/community_track_plugin/step_test.rb
+++ b/plugins/community_track/test/unit/community_track_plugin/step_test.rb
@@ -4,7 +4,11 @@ class StepTest < ActiveSupport::TestCase
 
   def setup
     @profile = fast_create(Community)
-    @track = CommunityTrackPlugin::Track.create(:profile_id => @profile.id, :name => 'track')
+    @track = CommunityTrackPlugin::Track.new(:profile_id => @profile.id, :name => 'track')
+    @category = fast_create(Category)
+    @track.add_category(@category)
+    @track.save!
+
     @step = CommunityTrackPlugin::Step.new(:name => 'Step', :body => 'body', :profile => @profile, :parent => @track, :published => false, :end_date => Date.today, :start_date => Date.today)
     Delayed::Job.destroy_all
   end
diff --git a/plugins/community_track/test/unit/community_track_plugin/track_list_block_test.rb b/plugins/community_track/test/unit/community_track_plugin/track_list_block_test.rb
index 1135564..2e716e4 100644
--- a/plugins/community_track/test/unit/community_track_plugin/track_list_block_test.rb
+++ b/plugins/community_track/test/unit/community_track_plugin/track_list_block_test.rb
@@ -3,13 +3,14 @@ require File.dirname(__FILE__) + '/../../test_helper'
 class TrackListBlockTest < ActiveSupport::TestCase
 
   def setup
-    @community = fast_create(Community)
-    @track = CommunityTrackPlugin::Track.create!(:abstract => 'abstract', :body => 'body', :name => 'track', :profile => @community)
-
-    box = fast_create(Box, :owner_id => @community.id, :owner_type => @community.class.name)
+    @profile = fast_create(Community)
+    @track = create_track('track', profile)
+    box = fast_create(Box, :owner_id => @profile.id, :owner_type => @profile.class.name)
     @block = CommunityTrackPlugin::TrackListBlock.create!(:box => box)
   end
 
+  attr_reader :profile
+
   should 'describe yourself' do
     assert CommunityTrackPlugin::TrackListBlock.description
   end
@@ -23,38 +24,30 @@ class TrackListBlockTest < ActiveSupport::TestCase
   end
 
   should 'list articles only of track type' do
-    article = fast_create(Article, :profile_id => @community.id)
-    assert_includes @community.articles, article
+    article = fast_create(Article, :profile_id => profile.id)
+    assert_includes profile.articles, article
     assert_equal [@track], @block.tracks
   end
 
   should 'list of articles be limited by block configuration' do
-    (@block.limit + 1).times do |i|
-      track = CommunityTrackPlugin::Track.create!(:abstract => 'abstract', :body => 'body', :name => "track#{i}", :profile => @community)
-    end
+    (@block.limit + 1).times { |i| create_track("track#{i}", profile) }
     assert_equal @block.limit, @block.tracks.count
   end
 
   should 'return more link if has more tracks to show' do
-    @block.limit.times do |i|
-      track = CommunityTrackPlugin::Track.create!(:abstract => 'abstract', :body => 'body', :name => "track#{i}", :profile => @community)
-    end
+    @block.limit.times { |i| create_track("track#{i}", profile) }
     assert @block.footer
   end
 
   should 'do not return more link if there is no more tracks to show' do
-    (@block.limit-1).times do |i|
-      track = CommunityTrackPlugin::Track.create!(:abstract => 'abstract', :body => 'body', :name => "track#{i}", :profile => @community)
-    end
+    (@block.limit-1).times { |i| create_track("track#{i}", profile) }
     assert !@block.footer
   end
 
   should 'count all tracks' do
     @block.owner.articles.destroy_all
     tracks_to_insert = @block.limit + 1
-    tracks_to_insert.times do |i|
-      track = CommunityTrackPlugin::Track.create!(:abstract => 'abstract', :body => 'body', :name => "track#{i}", :profile => @community)
-    end
+    tracks_to_insert.times { |i| create_track("track#{i}", profile) }
     article = fast_create(Article, :profile_id => @block.owner.id)
     @block.reload
     assert_includes @block.owner.articles, article
@@ -63,9 +56,7 @@ class TrackListBlockTest < ActiveSupport::TestCase
 
   should 'have a second page if there is more tracks than limit' do
     @block.owner.articles.destroy_all
-    (@block.limit+1).times do |i|
-      track = CommunityTrackPlugin::Track.create!(:abstract => 'abstract', :body => 'body', :name => "track#{i}", :profile => @community)
-    end
+    (@block.limit+1).times { |i| create_track("track#{i}", profile) }
     assert @block.has_page?(2)
     assert !@block.has_page?(3)
   end
@@ -74,9 +65,9 @@ class TrackListBlockTest < ActiveSupport::TestCase
     @block.owner.articles.destroy_all
     category = fast_create(Category)
     category2 = fast_create(Category)
-    track1 = CommunityTrackPlugin::Track.create!(:abstract => 'abstract', :body => 'body', :name => 'track1', :profile => @community)
-    track2 = CommunityTrackPlugin::Track.create!(:abstract => 'abstract', :body => 'body', :name => 'track2', :profile => @community)
-    track3 = CommunityTrackPlugin::Track.create!(:abstract => 'abstract', :body => 'body', :name => 'track3', :profile => @community)
+    track1 = create_track("track1", profile)
+    track2 = create_track("track2", profile)
+    track3 = create_track("track3", profile)
     track1.add_category(category)
     @block.category_ids = [category.id]
     assert_equal [track1], @block.all_tracks
@@ -85,8 +76,8 @@ class TrackListBlockTest < ActiveSupport::TestCase
   should 'return all tracks if block does not filter by category' do
     @block.owner.articles.destroy_all
     category = fast_create(Category)
-    track1 = CommunityTrackPlugin::Track.create!(:abstract => 'abstract', :body => 'body', :name => 'track1', :profile => @community)
-    track2 = CommunityTrackPlugin::Track.create!(:abstract => 'abstract', :body => 'body', :name => 'track2', :profile => @community)
+    track1 = create_track("track1", profile)
+    track2 = create_track("track2", profile)
     track1.add_category(category)
     assert_includes @block.all_tracks, track1
     assert_includes @block.all_tracks, track2
diff --git a/plugins/community_track/test/unit/community_track_plugin/track_test.rb b/plugins/community_track/test/unit/community_track_plugin/track_test.rb
index c323e8c..d939824 100644
--- a/plugins/community_track/test/unit/community_track_plugin/track_test.rb
+++ b/plugins/community_track/test/unit/community_track_plugin/track_test.rb
@@ -3,10 +3,10 @@ require File.dirname(__FILE__) + '/../../test_helper'
 class TrackTest < ActiveSupport::TestCase
 
   def setup
-    profile = fast_create(Community)
-    @track = CommunityTrackPlugin::Track.create!(:profile => profile, :name => 'track')
-    @step = CommunityTrackPlugin::Step.create!(:parent => @track, :start_date => Date.today, :end_date => Date.today, :name => 'step', :profile => profile)
-    @tool = fast_create(Article, :parent_id => @step.id, :profile_id => profile.id)
+    @profile = fast_create(Community)
+    @track = create_track('track', @profile)
+    @step = CommunityTrackPlugin::Step.create!(:parent => @track, :start_date => Date.today, :end_date => Date.today, :name => 'step', :profile => @profile)
+    @tool = fast_create(Article, :parent_id => @step.id, :profile_id => @profile.id)
   end
 
   should 'describe yourself' do
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ class TrackTest < ActiveSupport::TestCase
     top = fast_create(Category, :name => 'top category')
     category1 = fast_create(Category, :name => 'category1', :parent_id => top.id )
     category2 = fast_create(Category, :name => 'category2', :parent_id => category1.id )
+    @track.categories.delete_all
     @track.add_category(category2, true)
     assert_equal 'top category', @track.category_name
   end
@@ -54,6 +55,7 @@ class TrackTest < ActiveSupport::TestCase
 
   should 'return category name of first category' do
     category = fast_create(Category, :name => 'category')
+    @track.categories.delete_all
     @track.add_category(category, true)
     category2 = fast_create(Category, :name => 'category2')
     @track.add_category(category2, true)
@@ -126,4 +128,15 @@ class TrackTest < ActiveSupport::TestCase
     assert_equal '', @track.first_paragraph
   end
 
+  should 'not be able to create a track without category' do
+    track = CommunityTrackPlugin::Track.create(:profile => @profile, :name => 'track')
+    assert track.errors.invalid?(:categories)
+  end
+
+  should 'not be able to save a track without category' do
+    @track.categories.delete_all
+    @track.save
+    assert @track.errors.invalid?(:categories)
+  end
+
 end
--
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