diff --git a/inbox.py b/inbox.py
index 59ed67f6d..bef69c55c 100644
--- a/inbox.py
+++ b/inbox.py
@@ -227,8 +227,6 @@ def store_hash_tags(base_dir: str, nickname: str, domain: str,
         print('Creating tags directory')
         os.mkdir(tags_dir)
 
-    hashtag_categories = get_hashtag_categories(base_dir)
-
     hashtags_ctr = 0
     for tag in post_json_object['object']['tag']:
         if not tag.get('type'):
@@ -280,6 +278,7 @@ def store_hash_tags(base_dir: str, nickname: str, domain: str,
             # automatically assign a category to the tag if possible
             category_filename = tags_dir + '/' + tag_name + '.category'
             if not os.path.isfile(category_filename):
+                hashtag_categories = get_hashtag_categories(base_dir)
                 category_str = \
                     guess_hashtag_category(tag_name, hashtag_categories)
                 if category_str: