diff --git a/admin_menu.inc b/admin_menu.inc
index 968fe1d..b56a394 100644
--- a/admin_menu.inc
+++ b/admin_menu.inc
@@ -385,8 +385,24 @@ function admin_menu_links_menu($tree) {
       '#options' => $data['link']['localized_options'],
       '#weight' => $data['link']['weight'],
     );
+
+    // Recurse to add any child links.
+    $children = array();
     if ($data['below']) {
-      $links[$data['link']['href']] += admin_menu_links_menu($data['below']);
+      $children = admin_menu_links_menu($data['below']);
+      $links[$data['link']['href']] += $children;
+    }
+
+    // Handle links pointing to category/overview pages.
+    if ($data['link']['page_callback'] == 'system_admin_menu_block_page' || $data['link']['page_callback'] == 'system_admin_config_page') {
+      // Apply a marker for others to consume.
+      $links[$data['link']['href']]['#is_category'] = TRUE;
+      // Automatically hide empty categories.
+      // Check for empty children first for performance. Only when non-empty
+      // (typically 'admin/config'), check whether children are accessible.
+      if (empty($children) || !element_get_visible_children($children)) {
+        $links[$data['link']['href']]['#access'] = FALSE;
+      }
     }
   }
   return $links;
diff --git a/tests/admin_menu.test b/tests/admin_menu.test
index 28dfb1a..714e497 100644
--- a/tests/admin_menu.test
+++ b/tests/admin_menu.test
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ class AdminMenuPermissionsTestCase extends AdminMenuWebTestCase {
   public static function getInfo() {
     return array(
       'name' => 'Menu link access permissions',
-      'description' => 'Tests that menu links are displayed according to user permissions.',
+      'description' => 'Tests appearance of menu links depending on user permissions.',
       'group' => 'Administration menu',
     );
   }
@@ -165,6 +165,35 @@ class AdminMenuPermissionsTestCase extends AdminMenuWebTestCase {
     $this->assertElementByXPath('//div[@id="admin-menu"]//a[@href=:path]', array(':path' => 'http://drupal.org'), 'Icon » Drupal.org link found.');
     $this->assertElementByXPath('//div[@id="admin-menu"]//a[contains(@href, :path)]', array(':path' => 'admin/structure/contact'), 'Structure » Contact link found.');
   }
+
+  /**
+   * Tests handling of links pointing to category/overview pages.
+   */
+  function testCategories() {
+    // Create a user with minimum permissions.
+    $admin_user = $this->drupalCreateUser($this->basePermissions);
+    $this->drupalLogin($admin_user);
+
+    // Verify that no category links appear.
+    $this->assertNoLinkTrailByTitle(array(t('Structure')));
+    $this->assertNoLinkTrailByTitle(array(t('Configuration')));
+
+    // Create a user with access to one configuration category.
+    $permissions = $this->basePermissions + array(
+      'administer users',
+    );
+    $admin_user = $this->drupalCreateUser($permissions);
+    $this->drupalLogin($admin_user);
+
+    // Verify that only expected category links appear.
+    $this->assertNoLinkTrailByTitle(array(t('Structure')));
+    $this->assertLinkTrailByTitle(array(t('People')));
+    $this->assertLinkTrailByTitle(array(t('Configuration')));
+    $this->assertLinkTrailByTitle(array(t('Configuration'), t('People')));
+    // Random picks are sufficient.
+    $this->assertNoLinkTrailByTitle(array(t('Configuration'), t('Media')));
+    $this->assertNoLinkTrailByTitle(array(t('Configuration'), t('System')));
+  }
 }
 
 /**