diff --git a/lang/en/question.php b/lang/en/question.php
index 259f9034696..c65f317486c 100644
--- a/lang/en/question.php
+++ b/lang/en/question.php
@@ -230,6 +230,8 @@ $string['novirtualquestiontype'] = 'No virtual question type for question type {
 $string['numqas'] = 'No. question attempts';
 $string['numquestions'] = 'No. questions';
 $string['numquestionsandhidden'] = '{$a->numquestions} (+{$a->numhidden} hidden)';
+$string['orphanedquestionscategory'] = 'Questions saved from deleted categories';
+$string['orphanedquestionscategoryinfo'] = 'Occasionally, typically due to old software bugs, questions can remain in the database even though the corresponding question category has been deleted. Of course, this should not happen, it has happened in the past on this site. This category has been created automatically, and the orphaned questions moved here so that you can manage them. Note that any images or media files used by these questions have probably been lost.';
 $string['page-question-x'] = 'Any question page';
 $string['page-question-edit'] = 'Question editing page';
 $string['page-question-category'] = 'Question category page';
diff --git a/lib/db/upgrade.php b/lib/db/upgrade.php
index 3c41613c298..17a8c6909d2 100644
--- a/lib/db/upgrade.php
+++ b/lib/db/upgrade.php
@@ -7112,5 +7112,14 @@ FROM
         upgrade_main_savepoint(true, 2011120503.09);
     }
 
+    if ($oldversion < 2011120504.03) {
+
+        // Saves orphaned questions from the Dark Side
+        upgrade_save_orphaned_questions();
+
+        // Main savepoint reached
+        upgrade_main_savepoint(true, 2012062501.04);
+    }
+
     return true;
 }
diff --git a/lib/db/upgradelib.php b/lib/db/upgradelib.php
index 6f1455fc80c..54fe998081a 100644
--- a/lib/db/upgradelib.php
+++ b/lib/db/upgradelib.php
@@ -724,3 +724,43 @@ function upgrade_populate_default_messaging_prefs() {
     }
     $transaction->allow_commit();
 }
+
+/**
+* Find questions missing an existing category and associate them with
+* a category which purpose is to gather them.
+*
+* @return void
+*/
+function upgrade_save_orphaned_questions() {
+    global $DB;
+
+    // Looking for orphaned questions
+    $orphans = $DB->record_exists_select('question',
+            'NOT EXISTS (SELECT 1 FROM {question_categories} WHERE {question_categories}.id = {question}.category)');
+    if (!$orphans) {
+        return;
+    }
+
+    // Generate a unique stamp for the orphaned questions category, easier to identify it later on
+    $uniquestamp = "unknownhost+120719170400+orphan";
+    $systemcontext = context_system::instance();
+
+    // Create the orphaned category at system level
+    $cat = $DB->get_record('question_categories', array('stamp' => $uniquestamp,
+            'contextid' => $systemcontext->id));
+    if (!$cat) {
+        $cat = new stdClass();
+        $cat->parent = 0;
+        $cat->contextid = $systemcontext->id;
+        $cat->name = get_string('orphanedquestionscategory', 'question');
+        $cat->info = get_string('orphanedquestionscategoryinfo', 'question');
+        $cat->sortorder = 999;
+        $cat->stamp = $uniquestamp;
+        $cat->id = $DB->insert_record("question_categories", $cat);
+    }
+
+    // Set a category to those orphans
+    $params = array('catid' => $cat->id);
+    $DB->execute('UPDATE {question} SET category = :catid WHERE NOT EXISTS
+        (SELECT 1 FROM {question_categories} WHERE {question_categories}.id = {question}.category)', $params);
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/version.php b/version.php
index cabc5fbe2e9..8916881a99a 100644
--- a/version.php
+++ b/version.php
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@
 defined('MOODLE_INTERNAL') || die();
 
 
-$version  = 2011120504.02;              // 20111205      = branching date YYYYMMDD - do not modify!
+$version  = 2011120504.03;              // 20111205      = branching date YYYYMMDD - do not modify!
                                         //         RR    = release increments - 00 in DEV branches
                                         //           .XX = incremental changes