diff --git a/handlers/handlers.go b/handlers/handlers.go
index 5f62e1e..3228cdc 100644
--- a/handlers/handlers.go
+++ b/handlers/handlers.go
@@ -485,16 +485,26 @@ func HandleCategoryApiRequest(
 		id, err := strconv.ParseInt(request.URL.Query().Get("id"), 10, 64)
 		noteId := models.NoteId(id)
 
+		var categoryString string
+
 		category, err := env.Db.GetNoteCategory(noteId)
 		if err != nil {
-			return err, http.StatusInternalServerError
+			if err == models.QueryResultContainedNoRowsError {
+				// you are trying to a a non set category return the empty string
+				categoryString = ""
+
+			} else {
+				return err, http.StatusInternalServerError
+			}
+		} else {
+			categoryString = category.String()
 		}
 
 		type categoryObj struct {
 			Category string `json:"category"`
 		}
 
-		jsonValue, err := json.Marshal(&categoryObj{Category: category.String()})
+		jsonValue, err := json.Marshal(&categoryObj{Category: categoryString})
 		if err != nil {
 			return err, http.StatusInternalServerError
 		}
diff --git a/models/category.go b/models/category.go
index e5e8102..021d1f5 100644
--- a/models/category.go
+++ b/models/category.go
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ func DeserializeCategory(input string) (Category, error) {
 			return Category(i), nil
 		}
 	}
-	return MARGINALIA, CannotDeserializeCategoryStringError
+	return 0, CannotDeserializeCategoryStringError
 }
 
 func (category Category) String() string {
diff --git a/routers/routers.go b/routers/routers.go
index 96733ae..80db00d 100644
--- a/routers/routers.go
+++ b/routers/routers.go
@@ -65,7 +65,6 @@ func DefineRoutes(env *handlers.Environment) http.Handler {
 	mux.handleAuthenticatedPage(env, paths.NotesPage, handlers.HandleNotesPageRequest)
 
 	// api
-
 	mux.handleUnAutheticedRequest(env, paths.UserApi, handlers.HandleUserApiRequest)
 	mux.handleUnAutheticedRequest(env, paths.SessionApi, handlers.HandleSessionApiRequest)
 
diff --git a/static/js/base.js b/static/js/base.js
index 2143555..2cd073f 100644
--- a/static/js/base.js
+++ b/static/js/base.js
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+"use strict";
+
 $(function() {
   // http://stepansuvorov.com/blog/2014/04/jquery-put-and-delete/
   jQuery.each( [ "put", "delete" ], function( i, method ) {
diff --git a/static/js/notes.js b/static/js/notes.js
index f3d1d38..b4d59c4 100644
--- a/static/js/notes.js
+++ b/static/js/notes.js
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+"use strict";
+
 var USERS_BY_ID = {};
 
 const $createAuthor = function(authorId) {
@@ -6,8 +8,12 @@ const $createAuthor = function(authorId) {
     return $('<span>', {text: user.displayName});
 };
 
-const $createType = function(type) {
-    return $('<span>', {text: type});
+const $createType = function(noteId) {
+    let spandId = noteId+"_category";
+    $.get('/api/category?id='+noteId, function(responseObj) {
+        $("#"+spandId).text(responseObj.category);
+    });
+    return $('<span id="'+spandId+'">', {text: ' - '});
 };
 
 const $createCreationTime = function(creationTime) {
@@ -24,11 +30,13 @@ const $createDivider = function() {
 
 const $createNote = function(noteId, note) {
     const $author = $createAuthor(note.authorId);
-    const $type = $createType(note.type);
+    const $noteId = $('<span>', {text : noteId})
+    const $type = $createType(noteId);
     const $creationTime = $createCreationTime(note.creationTime);
     const $content = $createContent(note.content);
 
     const $header = $('<div>').addClass('note-header')
+        .append($noteId).append($createDivider())
         .append($author).append($createDivider())
         .append($type).append($createDivider())
         .append($creationTime);