diff --git a/src/libs/CategoryUtils.ts b/src/libs/CategoryUtils.ts
index fcf329257499..3024bb144f63 100644
--- a/src/libs/CategoryUtils.ts
+++ b/src/libs/CategoryUtils.ts
@@ -175,6 +175,12 @@ function processCategoryNameSegments(categoryName: string): string[] {
         }
     }
 
+    // If all segments were empty but the original name is not empty,
+    // treat the whole name as a single segment (e.g., ":" or "::").
+    if (result.length === 0 && categoryName.trim() !== '') {
+        return [categoryName.trim()];
+    }
+
     // If the original name ends with a colon (allowing trailing spaces), append a colon to the last segment.
     const endsWithColon = categoryName.trim().endsWith(CONST.PARENT_CHILD_SEPARATOR);
     if (endsWithColon && result.length > 0) {
diff --git a/tests/unit/CategoryOptionListUtilsTest.ts b/tests/unit/CategoryOptionListUtilsTest.ts
index ada043b7510c..c1d8c2812e24 100644
--- a/tests/unit/CategoryOptionListUtilsTest.ts
+++ b/tests/unit/CategoryOptionListUtilsTest.ts
@@ -851,6 +851,66 @@ describe('CategoryOptionListUtils', () => {
         expect(getCategoryOptionTree(categories)).toStrictEqual(result);
     });
 
+    it('handles colon‑only category names', () => {
+        const categories = {
+            ':': {
+                enabled: true,
+                name: ':',
+            },
+            '::': {
+                enabled: true,
+                name: '::',
+            },
+            '  :  ': {
+                enabled: true,
+                name: '  :  ',
+            },
+            'Normal:Category': {
+                enabled: true,
+                name: 'Normal:Category',
+            },
+        };
+
+        const result = getCategoryOptionTree(categories);
+
+        // The colon-only categories should appear as top‑level leaf items (no indentation)
+        // They should have the exact name as both text and searchText.
+        expect(result).toEqual(
+            expect.arrayContaining([
+                expect.objectContaining({
+                    text: ':',
+                    keyForList: ':',
+                    searchText: ':',
+                    isDisabled: false,
+                }),
+                expect.objectContaining({
+                    text: '::',
+                    keyForList: '::',
+                    searchText: '::',
+                    isDisabled: false,
+                }),
+                expect.objectContaining({
+                    text: ':',
+                    keyForList: '  :  ',
+                    searchText: '  :  ',
+                    isDisabled: false,
+                }),
+                expect.objectContaining({
+                    text: 'Normal',
+                    keyForList: 'Normal',
+                    searchText: 'Normal',
+                    isDisabled: true,
+                }),
+                expect.objectContaining({
+                    text: '    Category',
+                    keyForList: 'Normal:Category',
+                    searchText: 'Normal:Category',
+                    isDisabled: false,
+                }),
+            ]),
+        );
+    });
+
     it('sortCategories', () => {
         const categoriesIncorrectOrdering = {
             Taxi: {
@@ -1203,4 +1263,18 @@ describe('CategoryOptionListUtils', () => {
         expect(sortCategories(categoriesIncorrectOrdering2, localeCompare)).toStrictEqual(result2);
         expect(sortCategories(categoriesIncorrectOrdering3, localeCompare)).toStrictEqual(result3);
     });
+
+    it('sortCategories keeps colon‑only categories', () => {
+        const categories = {
+            ':': {enabled: true, name: ':'},
+            '::': {enabled: true, name: '::'},
+            'Normal:Category': {enabled: true, name: 'Normal:Category'},
+        };
+        const sorted = sortCategories(categories, localeCompare);
+        expect(sorted).toEqual([
+            {name: ':', enabled: true, pendingAction: undefined},
+            {name: '::', enabled: true, pendingAction: undefined},
+            {name: 'Normal:Category', enabled: true, pendingAction: undefined},
+        ]);
+    });
 });
diff --git a/tests/unit/CategoryUtilsTest.ts b/tests/unit/CategoryUtilsTest.ts
index 57a9bcae9db7..3c2439e49fc7 100644
--- a/tests/unit/CategoryUtilsTest.ts
+++ b/tests/unit/CategoryUtilsTest.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,12 @@
 import type {OnyxCollection} from 'react-native-onyx';
-import {formatRequireItemizedReceiptsOverText, getAvailableNonPersonalPolicyCategories, isCategoryDescriptionRequired, isCategoryMissing} from '@libs/CategoryUtils';
+import {
+    formatRequireItemizedReceiptsOverText,
+    getAvailableNonPersonalPolicyCategories,
+    getDecodedLeafCategoryName,
+    isCategoryDescriptionRequired,
+    isCategoryMissing,
+    processCategoryNameSegments,
+} from '@libs/CategoryUtils';
 import {convertToDisplayString} from '@libs/CurrencyUtils';
 import CONST from '@src/CONST';
 import ONYXKEYS from '@src/ONYXKEYS';
@@ -207,4 +214,31 @@ describe('getAvailableNonPersonalPolicyCategories', () => {
         expect(result[keyOther]?.TestCategory2).toBeDefined();
         expect(result[keyOther]?.TestCategory3).toBeDefined();
     });
+
+    describe('processCategoryNameSegments and getDecodedLeafCategoryName', () => {
+        describe('processCategoryNameSegments', () => {
+            it('returns a single segment for colon‑only names', () => {
+                expect(processCategoryNameSegments(':')).toEqual([':']);
+                expect(processCategoryNameSegments('::')).toEqual(['::']);
+            });
+
+            it('handles normal hierarchical categories unchanged (preserves leading spaces)', () => {
+                expect(processCategoryNameSegments('Food: Meat')).toEqual(['Food', ' Meat']);
+                expect(processCategoryNameSegments('A: B:')).toEqual(['A', ' B:']);
+                expect(processCategoryNameSegments('Parent:Child')).toEqual(['Parent', 'Child']);
+            });
+        });
+
+        describe('getDecodedLeafCategoryName', () => {
+            it('returns the leaf name for colon‑only categories', () => {
+                expect(getDecodedLeafCategoryName(':')).toEqual(':');
+                expect(getDecodedLeafCategoryName('::')).toEqual('::');
+            });
+
+            it('returns the leaf for normal hierarchies (trimmed)', () => {
+                expect(getDecodedLeafCategoryName('Food: Meat')).toEqual('Meat');
+                expect(getDecodedLeafCategoryName('A: B:')).toEqual('B:');
+            });
+        });
+    });
 });