diff --git a/user/profile/index_category_form.php b/user/profile/index_category_form.php
index 940e9a804ee..314ea917385 100644
--- a/user/profile/index_category_form.php
+++ b/user/profile/index_category_form.php
@@ -33,10 +33,19 @@ class category_form extends moodleform {
 
         $data  = (object)$data;
 
-        $category = get_record('user_info_category', 'id', $data->id);
+        $duplicate = record_exists('user_info_category', 'name', $data->name);
 
         /// Check the name is unique
-        if ($category and ($category->name !== $data->name) and (record_exists('user_info_category', 'name', $data->name))) {
+        if (!empty($data->id)) { // we are editing an existing record
+            $olddata = get_record('user_info_category', 'id', $data->id);
+            // name has changed, new name in use, new name in use by another record
+            $dupfound = (($olddata->name !== $data->name) && $duplicate && ($data->id != $duplicate->id));
+        }
+        else { // new profile category
+            $dupfound = $duplicate;
+        }
+        
+        if ($dupfound ) {
             $errors['name'] = get_string('profilecategorynamenotunique', 'admin');
         }