diff --git a/codan/org.eclipse.cdt.codan.core/src/org/eclipse/cdt/codan/core/model/CheckersRegisry.java b/codan/org.eclipse.cdt.codan.core/src/org/eclipse/cdt/codan/core/model/CheckersRegisry.java
index 69b01d34bfc..e2370c9d86c 100644
--- a/codan/org.eclipse.cdt.codan.core/src/org/eclipse/cdt/codan/core/model/CheckersRegisry.java
+++ b/codan/org.eclipse.cdt.codan.core/src/org/eclipse/cdt/codan/core/model/CheckersRegisry.java
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ public class CheckersRegisry implements Iterable<IChecker> {
 	private static final String EXTENSION_POINT_NAME = "checkers";
 	private static final String CHECKER_ELEMENT = "checker";
 	private static final String PROBLEM_ELEMENT = "problem";
+	private static final String CATEGORY_ELEMENT = "category";
 	private static final Object DEFAULT = "DEFAULT";
 	private Collection<IChecker> checkers = new ArrayList<IChecker>();
 	private static CheckersRegisry instance;
@@ -50,6 +51,10 @@ public class CheckersRegisry implements Iterable<IChecker> {
 			return;
 		IConfigurationElement[] elements = ep.getConfigurationElements();
 		// process categories
+		for (int i = 0; i < elements.length; i++) {
+			IConfigurationElement configurationElement = elements[i];
+			processCategories(configurationElement);
+		}
 		// process shared problems
 		for (int i = 0; i < elements.length; i++) {
 			IConfigurationElement configurationElement = elements[i];
@@ -62,6 +67,24 @@ public class CheckersRegisry implements Iterable<IChecker> {
 		}
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * @param configurationElement
+	 */
+	private void processCategories(IConfigurationElement configurationElement) {
+		if (configurationElement.getName().equals(CATEGORY_ELEMENT)) {
+			String id = getAtt(configurationElement, "id");
+			if (id == null)
+				return;
+			String name = getAtt(configurationElement, "name");
+			if (name == null)
+				return;
+			CodanProblemCategory cat = new CodanProblemCategory(id, name);
+			String category = getAtt(configurationElement, "parentCategory",
+					false);
+			addCategory(cat, category);
+		}
+	}
+
 	/**
 	 * @param configurationElement
 	 */
@@ -168,8 +191,17 @@ public class CheckersRegisry implements Iterable<IChecker> {
 	}
 
 	public void addProblem(IProblem p, String category) {
-		((ProblemProfile) getDefaultProfile()).addProblem(p,
-				getDefaultProfile().getRoot());
+		IProblemCategory cat = getDefaultProfile().findCategory(category);
+		if (cat == null)
+			cat = getDefaultProfile().getRoot();
+		((ProblemProfile) getDefaultProfile()).addProblem(p, cat);
+	}
+
+	public void addCategory(IProblemCategory p, String category) {
+		IProblemCategory cat = getDefaultProfile().findCategory(category);
+		if (cat == null)
+			cat = getDefaultProfile().getRoot();
+		((ProblemProfile) getDefaultProfile()).addCategory(p, cat);
 	}
 
 	public void addRefProblem(IChecker c, IProblem p) {
diff --git a/codan/org.eclipse.cdt.codan.core/src/org/eclipse/cdt/codan/core/model/CodanProblemCategory.java b/codan/org.eclipse.cdt.codan.core/src/org/eclipse/cdt/codan/core/model/CodanProblemCategory.java
index 9e5e0096dc4..efc320476c8 100644
--- a/codan/org.eclipse.cdt.codan.core/src/org/eclipse/cdt/codan/core/model/CodanProblemCategory.java
+++ b/codan/org.eclipse.cdt.codan.core/src/org/eclipse/cdt/codan/core/model/CodanProblemCategory.java
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ public class CodanProblemCategory implements IProblemCategory, Cloneable {
 		return list.toArray();
 	}
 
-	public void addChild(IProblem p) {
+	public void addChild(IProblemElement p) {
 		list.add(p);
 	}
 
diff --git a/codan/org.eclipse.cdt.codan.core/src/org/eclipse/cdt/codan/core/model/IProblemProfile.java b/codan/org.eclipse.cdt.codan.core/src/org/eclipse/cdt/codan/core/model/IProblemProfile.java
index 86e2880582a..6b4a9c6d875 100644
--- a/codan/org.eclipse.cdt.codan.core/src/org/eclipse/cdt/codan/core/model/IProblemProfile.java
+++ b/codan/org.eclipse.cdt.codan.core/src/org/eclipse/cdt/codan/core/model/IProblemProfile.java
@@ -19,5 +19,7 @@ public interface IProblemProfile extends IProblemElement {
 
 	IProblem findProblem(String id);
 
+	IProblemCategory findCategory(String id);
+
 	IProblem[] getProblems();
 }
diff --git a/codan/org.eclipse.cdt.codan.core/src/org/eclipse/cdt/codan/core/model/ProblemProfile.java b/codan/org.eclipse.cdt.codan.core/src/org/eclipse/cdt/codan/core/model/ProblemProfile.java
index 5a60d13c990..bd41e356f1b 100644
--- a/codan/org.eclipse.cdt.codan.core/src/org/eclipse/cdt/codan/core/model/ProblemProfile.java
+++ b/codan/org.eclipse.cdt.codan.core/src/org/eclipse/cdt/codan/core/model/ProblemProfile.java
@@ -98,4 +98,12 @@ public class ProblemProfile implements IProblemProfile, Cloneable {
 			return this;
 		}
 	}
+
+	/**
+	 * @param p
+	 * @param cat
+	 */
+	public void addCategory(IProblemCategory category, IProblemCategory parent) {
+		((CodanProblemCategory) parent).addChild(category);
+	}
 }