diff --git a/common/categories.ts b/common/categories.ts
index 232aa526..672f3200 100644
--- a/common/categories.ts
+++ b/common/categories.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import { difference } from 'lodash'
 
 export const CATEGORIES_GROUP_SLUG_POSTFIX = '-default'
+
 export const CATEGORIES = {
   politics: 'Politics',
   technology: 'Technology',
@@ -37,3 +38,8 @@ export const EXCLUDED_CATEGORIES: category[] = [
 ]
 
 export const DEFAULT_CATEGORIES = difference(CATEGORY_LIST, EXCLUDED_CATEGORIES)
+
+export const DEFAULT_CATEGORY_GROUPS = DEFAULT_CATEGORIES.map((c) => ({
+  slug: c.toLowerCase() + CATEGORIES_GROUP_SLUG_POSTFIX,
+  name: CATEGORIES[c as category],
+}))
diff --git a/web/components/contract-search.tsx b/web/components/contract-search.tsx
index 95075986..65c09608 100644
--- a/web/components/contract-search.tsx
+++ b/web/components/contract-search.tsx
@@ -25,9 +25,10 @@ import { useFollows } from 'web/hooks/use-follows'
 import { trackCallback } from 'web/lib/service/analytics'
 import ContractSearchFirestore from 'web/pages/contract-search-firestore'
 import { useMemberGroups } from 'web/hooks/use-group'
-import { NEW_USER_GROUP_SLUGS } from 'common/group'
+import { Group, NEW_USER_GROUP_SLUGS } from 'common/group'
 import { PillButton } from './buttons/pill-button'
 import { sortBy } from 'lodash'
+import { DEFAULT_CATEGORY_GROUPS } from 'common/categories'
 
 const searchClient = algoliasearch(
   'GJQPAYENIF',
@@ -82,11 +83,21 @@ export function ContractSearch(props: {
   const memberGroups = (useMemberGroups(user?.id) ?? []).filter(
     (group) => !NEW_USER_GROUP_SLUGS.includes(group.slug)
   )
-  const memberGroupSlugs = memberGroups.map((g) => g.slug)
-  const pillGroups = sortBy(
+  const memberGroupSlugs =
+    memberGroups.length > 0
+      ? memberGroups.map((g) => g.slug)
+      : DEFAULT_CATEGORY_GROUPS.map((g) => g.slug)
+
+  const memberPillGroups = sortBy(
     memberGroups.filter((group) => group.contractIds.length > 0),
     (group) => group.contractIds.length
   ).reverse()
+
+  const defaultPillGroups = DEFAULT_CATEGORY_GROUPS as Group[]
+
+  const pillGroups =
+    memberPillGroups.length > 0 ? memberPillGroups : defaultPillGroups
+
   const follows = useFollows(user?.id)
   const { initialSort } = useInitialQueryAndSort(querySortOptions)
 
@@ -113,9 +124,7 @@ export function ContractSearch(props: {
       additionalFilter?.groupSlug
         ? `groupSlugs:${additionalFilter.groupSlug}`
         : '',
-      pillFilter && pillFilter !== 'personal'
-        ? `groupSlugs:${pillFilter}`
-        : '',
+      pillFilter && pillFilter !== 'personal' ? `groupSlugs:${pillFilter}` : '',
       pillFilter === 'personal'
         ? // Show contracts in groups that the user is a member of
           memberGroupSlugs
@@ -217,6 +226,7 @@ export function ContractSearch(props: {
           >
             For you
           </PillButton>
+
           {pillGroups.map(({ name, slug }) => {
             return (
               <PillButton