diff --git a/apps/dashboard/app/models/user_configuration.rb b/apps/dashboard/app/models/user_configuration.rb
index 565ebb4b40..1fe33ea7d6 100644
--- a/apps/dashboard/app/models/user_configuration.rb
+++ b/apps/dashboard/app/models/user_configuration.rb
@@ -125,7 +125,7 @@ def announcement_path
   DEFAULT_NAV_CATEGORIES = ["Apps", "Files", "Jobs", "Clusters", "Interactive Apps"].freeze
   
   def filter_nav_categories?
-    fetch(:nav_categories, nil)
+    !!fetch(:nav_categories, nil)
   end
 
   def nav_categories
diff --git a/apps/dashboard/test/models/user_configuration_test.rb b/apps/dashboard/test/models/user_configuration_test.rb
index 89f3b67ca6..d5308034f1 100644
--- a/apps/dashboard/test/models/user_configuration_test.rb
+++ b/apps/dashboard/test/models/user_configuration_test.rb
@@ -177,12 +177,11 @@ def teardown
     assert_equal true, UserConfiguration.new.filter_nav_categories?
   end
 
-  test "filter_nav_categories? should return default value NavConfig.categories_whitelist? when categories is not set in config" do
+  test "filter_nav_categories? should return false when nav_categories is nil" do
     Configuration.stubs(:config).returns({})
-    NavConfig.stubs(:categories_whitelist?).returns(false)
     assert_equal false, UserConfiguration.new.filter_nav_categories?
 
-    NavConfig.stubs(:categories_whitelist?).returns(true)
+    Configuration.stubs(:config).returns({nav_categories: []})
     assert_equal true, UserConfiguration.new.filter_nav_categories?
   end