diff --git a/plugins/calendar/calendar.php b/plugins/calendar/calendar.php
index 82f7b3c4..15173064 100644
--- a/plugins/calendar/calendar.php
+++ b/plugins/calendar/calendar.php
@@ -58,13 +58,6 @@ class calendar extends rcube_plugin
     'calendar_time_indicator'  => true,
   );
 
-  private $default_categories = array(
-    'Personal' => 'c0c0c0',
-    'Work'     => 'ff0000',
-    'Family'   => '00ff00',
-    'Holiday'  => 'ff6600',
-  );
-  
   private $ics_parts = array();
 
 
diff --git a/plugins/calendar/drivers/calendar_driver.php b/plugins/calendar/drivers/calendar_driver.php
index 478a08c0..43e13458 100644
--- a/plugins/calendar/drivers/calendar_driver.php
+++ b/plugins/calendar/drivers/calendar_driver.php
@@ -91,6 +91,13 @@ abstract class calendar_driver
   public $alarm_absolute = true;
   public $last_error;
 
+  protected $default_categories = array(
+    'Personal' => 'c0c0c0',
+    'Work'     => 'ff0000',
+    'Family'   => '00ff00',
+    'Holiday'  => 'ff6600',
+  );
+
   /**
    * Get a list of available calendars from this source
    *
@@ -328,7 +335,7 @@ abstract class calendar_driver
   public function list_categories()
   {
     $rcmail = rcube::get_instance();
-    return $rcmail->config->get('calendar_categories', array());
+    return $rcmail->config->get('calendar_categories', $this->default_categories);
   }
 
   /**
diff --git a/plugins/calendar/drivers/kolab/kolab_driver.php b/plugins/calendar/drivers/kolab/kolab_driver.php
index 6b980cd8..081f2b0d 100644
--- a/plugins/calendar/drivers/kolab/kolab_driver.php
+++ b/plugins/calendar/drivers/kolab/kolab_driver.php
@@ -698,7 +698,7 @@ class kolab_driver extends calendar_driver
     }
     
     // add new categories to user prefs
-    $old_categories = $this->rc->config->get('calendar_categories', array());
+    $old_categories = $this->rc->config->get('calendar_categories', $this->default_categories);
     if ($newcats = array_diff(array_map('strtolower', array_keys($categories)), array_map('strtolower', array_keys($old_categories)))) {
       foreach ($newcats as $category)
         $old_categories[$category] = '';  // no color set yet
@@ -867,7 +867,7 @@ class kolab_driver extends calendar_driver
   public function list_categories()
   {
     // FIXME: complete list with categories saved in config objects (KEP:12)
-    return $this->rc->config->get('calendar_categories', array());
+    return $this->rc->config->get('calendar_categories', $this->default_categories);
   }
 
   /**