diff --git a/include/functions_search.inc.php b/include/functions_search.inc.php
index 366c7b183..49a559044 100644
--- a/include/functions_search.inc.php
+++ b/include/functions_search.inc.php
@@ -380,10 +380,15 @@ SELECT
     }
     else
     {
+      // TODO we take the list of cat_ids "as is", we should check they still
+      // exist and are browseable to the user
       $cat_ids = $search['fields']['cat']['words'];
     }
 
-    $query = '
+    // in case the album would no longer exists, we consider the filter on album no longer active
+    if (!empty($cat_ids))
+    {
+      $query = '
 SELECT
     DISTINCT(id)
   FROM '.IMAGES_TABLE.' AS i
@@ -391,7 +396,8 @@ SELECT
   WHERE category_id IN ('.implode(',', $cat_ids).')
   '.$forbidden.'
 ;';
-    $image_ids_for_filter['cat'] = query2array($query, null, 'id');
+      $image_ids_for_filter['cat'] = query2array($query, null, 'id');
+    }
   }
 
   //
diff --git a/search.php b/search.php
index 582c87af2..0b81d86f7 100644
--- a/search.php
+++ b/search.php
@@ -58,6 +58,20 @@ $cat_ids = array();
 if (isset($_GET['cat_id']))
 {
   check_input_parameter('cat_id', $_GET, false, PATTERN_ID);
+
+  $query = '
+SELECT
+    *
+  FROM '.USER_CACHE_CATEGORIES_TABLE.'
+  WHERE cat_id = '.$_GET['cat_id'].'
+    AND user_id = '.$user['id'].'
+;';
+  $found_categories = query2array($query);
+  if (empty($found_categories))
+  {
+    page_not_found(l10n('Requested album does not exist'));
+  }
+
   $cat_ids = array($_GET['cat_id']);
 }