diff --git a/MANIFEST.in b/MANIFEST.in
index e301d8a8..ea144609 100644
--- a/MANIFEST.in
+++ b/MANIFEST.in
@@ -662,7 +662,6 @@ include tests/org.bitbucket.tickytacky.mirrormirror_4.apk
 include tests/org.dyndns.fules.ck_20.apk
 include tests/org.sajeg.fallingblocks_3.apk
 include tests/publish.TestCase
-include tests/repo/categories.txt
 include tests/repo/com.example.test.helloworld_1.apk
 include tests/repo/com.politedroid_3.apk
 include tests/repo/com.politedroid_4.apk
diff --git a/fdroidserver/common.py b/fdroidserver/common.py
index 1af0fc82..73f25365 100644
--- a/fdroidserver/common.py
+++ b/fdroidserver/common.py
@@ -4042,7 +4042,6 @@ def is_repo_file(filename, for_gpg_signing=False):
     if isinstance(filename, str):
         filename = filename.encode('utf-8', errors="surrogateescape")
     ignore_files = [
-        b'categories.txt',
         b'entry.jar',
         b'index-v1.jar',
         b'index.css',
diff --git a/fdroidserver/update.py b/fdroidserver/update.py
index 86070c67..44e95c28 100644
--- a/fdroidserver/update.py
+++ b/fdroidserver/update.py
@@ -1846,15 +1846,6 @@ def apply_info_from_latest_apk(apps, apks):
                 app['CurrentVersionCode'] = bestver
 
 
-def make_categories_txt(repodir, categories):
-    """Write a category list in the repo to allow quick access."""
-    catdata = ''
-    for cat in sorted(categories):
-        catdata += cat + '\n'
-    with open(os.path.join(repodir, 'categories.txt'), 'w') as f:
-        f.write(catdata)
-
-
 def archive_old_apks(apps, apks, archapks, repodir, archivedir, defaultkeepversions):
     def filter_apk_list_sorted(apk_list):
         apkList = []
@@ -2246,11 +2237,6 @@ def main():
     # Get all apps...
     apps = metadata.read_metadata()
 
-    # Generate a list of categories...
-    categories = set()
-    for app in apps.values():
-        categories.update(app.Categories)
-
     # Read known apks data (will be updated and written back when we've finished)
     knownapks = common.KnownApks()
 
@@ -2363,7 +2349,6 @@ def main():
 
     # Make the index for the main repo...
     index.make(repoapps, apks, repodirs[0], False)
-    make_categories_txt(repodirs[0], categories)
 
     git_remote = config.get('binary_transparency_remote')
     if git_remote or os.path.isdir(os.path.join('binary_transparency', '.git')):
diff --git a/tests/common.TestCase b/tests/common.TestCase
index 8820004d..56625598 100755
--- a/tests/common.TestCase
+++ b/tests/common.TestCase
@@ -2509,8 +2509,7 @@ class CommonTest(unittest.TestCase):
                 'repo/index.png',
                 'repo/index.xml',
             ]
-            non_repo_files = ['repo/categories.txt']
-            for f in repo_files + index_files + non_repo_files:
+            for f in repo_files + index_files:
                 open(f, 'w').close()
 
             repo_dirs = [
@@ -2543,10 +2542,6 @@ class CommonTest(unittest.TestCase):
                 self.assertTrue(os.path.exists(d), d + ' was created')
                 self.assertFalse(is_repo_file(d), d + ' not repo file')
 
-            for f in non_repo_files:
-                self.assertTrue(os.path.exists(f), f + ' was created')
-                self.assertFalse(is_repo_file(f), f + ' not repo file')
-
     def test_get_apksigner_smartcardoptions(self):
         os.chdir(self.tmpdir)
         with open('config.yml', 'w') as fp:
diff --git a/tests/repo/categories.txt b/tests/repo/categories.txt
deleted file mode 100644
index 9af231f5..00000000
--- a/tests/repo/categories.txt
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,10 +0,0 @@
-1
-2.0
-Development
-GuardianProject
-Multimedia
-Phone & SMS
-Security
-System
-Time
-tests
diff --git a/tests/update.TestCase b/tests/update.TestCase
index 2552ce0b..391dec93 100755
--- a/tests/update.TestCase
+++ b/tests/update.TestCase
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ import zipfile
 import textwrap
 from datetime import datetime
 from distutils.version import LooseVersion
+from pathlib import Path
 from testcommon import TmpCwd, mkdtemp
 from unittest import mock
 
@@ -1789,6 +1790,20 @@ class UpdateTest(unittest.TestCase):
                 "DEBUG:root:Checking archiving for org.smssecure.smssecure - apks:0, keepversions:6, archapks:0"
             ])
 
+    def test_categories_txt_is_removed_by_delete_unknown(self):
+        """categories.txt used to be a part of this system, now its nothing."""
+        os.chdir(self.testdir)
+        Path('config.yml').write_text('repo_pubkey: ffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffff')
+
+        categories_txt = Path('repo/categories.txt')
+        categories_txt.parent.mkdir()
+        categories_txt.write_text('placeholder')
+
+        self.assertTrue(categories_txt.exists())
+        with mock.patch('sys.argv', ['fdroid update', '--delete-unknown', '--nosign']):
+            fdroidserver.update.main()
+        self.assertFalse(categories_txt.exists())
+
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     os.chdir(os.path.dirname(__file__))