diff --git a/app/controllers/listings_controller.rb b/app/controllers/listings_controller.rb
index c42699bc5..875eee12c 100644
--- a/app/controllers/listings_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/listings_controller.rb
@@ -13,9 +13,10 @@ class ListingsController < ApplicationController
 
   DASHBOARD_JSON_OPTIONS = {
     only: %i[
-      title tag_list created_at expires_at bumped_at updated_at category id
+      title tag_list created_at expires_at bumped_at updated_at id
       user_id slug organization_id location published
     ],
+    methods: %i[category],
     include: {
       author: { only: %i[username name], methods: %i[username profile_image_90] }
     }
@@ -68,7 +69,7 @@ class ListingsController < ApplicationController
 
   def dashboard
     listings = current_user.listings
-      .includes(:organization, :taggings)
+      .includes(:organization, :taggings, :listing_category)
     @listings_json = listings.to_json(DASHBOARD_JSON_OPTIONS)
 
     organizations_ids = current_user.organization_memberships
diff --git a/spec/requests/listings_spec.rb b/spec/requests/listings_spec.rb
index e3dfffb39..1457f7d11 100644
--- a/spec/requests/listings_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/requests/listings_spec.rb
@@ -80,6 +80,16 @@ RSpec.describe "/listings", type: :request do
     end
   end
 
+  describe "GET /listings/dashboard" do
+    before { sign_in user }
+
+    it "returns a category for draft listings" do
+      post "/listings", params: draft_params
+      get "/listings/dashboard"
+      expect(response.body).to include(CGI.escapeHTML("\"category\":\"#{edu_category.slug}\""))
+    end
+  end
+
   describe "GET /listings/new" do
     before { sign_in user }