diff --git a/administrator/components/com_categories/models/fields/categoryedit.php b/administrator/components/com_categories/models/fields/categoryedit.php
index f655a6ab2f0e1..6d6e19e095108 100644
--- a/administrator/components/com_categories/models/fields/categoryedit.php
+++ b/administrator/components/com_categories/models/fields/categoryedit.php
@@ -119,7 +119,7 @@ public function __set($name, $value)
 	protected function getOptions()
 	{
 		$options = array();
-		$published = $this->element['published'] ?: array(0, 1);
+		$published = $this->element['published'] ? explode(',', (string) $this->element['published']) : array(0, 1);
 		$name = (string) $this->element['name'];
 
 		// Let's get the id for the current item, either category or content item.
@@ -179,14 +179,7 @@ protected function getOptions()
 		}
 
 		// Filter on the published state
-		if (is_numeric($published))
-		{
-			$query->where('a.published = ' . (int) $published);
-		}
-		elseif (is_array($published))
-		{
-			$query->where('a.published IN (' . implode(',', ArrayHelper::toInteger($published)) . ')');
-		}
+		$query->where('a.published IN (' . implode(',', ArrayHelper::toInteger($published)) . ')');
 
 		// Filter categories on User Access Level
 		// Filter by access level on categories.