diff --git a/.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/add_monochrome_icon.yml b/.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/add_monochrome_icon.yml
index ef0c57f1..4de24490 100644
--- a/.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/add_monochrome_icon.yml
+++ b/.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/add_monochrome_icon.yml
@@ -35,32 +35,49 @@ body:
       label: Categories
       multiple: true
       options:
-        - Animal
-        - Cloud
+        - AI
+        - Analytics-&-Monitoring
+        - Automation
+        - Browsers-&-Search
+        - Cloud-&-Hosting
         - Communication
+        - Community-&-Social
+        - Content-Management
+        - Crypto
+        - Databases
         - Design
         - Development
+        - Downloaders
         - E-Commerce
         - Education
-        - File
+        - File-Management-&-Sync
         - Finance
         - Food
+        - Framework
         - Gaming
         - Hardware
         - Health
-        - Location
-        - Logistics
+        - Home-Automation
+        - Identity
+        - Infrastructure
+        - Library
+        - Mapping-&-Location
         - Media
-        - Music
+        - Music-&-Audio
         - Nature
+        - Networking
         - News
-        - Organization
-        - Search
+        - Notes-&-Productivity
+        - Operating-Systems
+        - Organization-&-Planning
+        - Programming-Language
         - Security
-        - SocialMedia
+        - Software
         - Streaming
         - Travel
+        - Version-Control
         - Video
+        - Virtualization
   - type: input
     attributes:
       label: Aliases
diff --git a/.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/add_normal_icon.yml b/.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/add_normal_icon.yml
index af894568..b997f5ed 100644
--- a/.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/add_normal_icon.yml
+++ b/.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/add_normal_icon.yml
@@ -33,32 +33,49 @@ body:
       label: Categories
       multiple: true
       options:
-        - Animal
-        - Cloud
+        - AI
+        - Analytics-&-Monitoring
+        - Automation
+        - Browsers-&-Search
+        - Cloud-&-Hosting
         - Communication
+        - Community-&-Social
+        - Content-Management
+        - Crypto
+        - Databases
         - Design
         - Development
+        - Downloaders
         - E-Commerce
         - Education
-        - File
+        - File-Management-&-Sync
         - Finance
         - Food
+        - Framework
         - Gaming
         - Hardware
         - Health
-        - Location
-        - Logistics
+        - Home-Automation
+        - Identity
+        - Infrastructure
+        - Library
+        - Mapping-&-Location
         - Media
-        - Music
+        - Music-&-Audio
         - Nature
+        - Networking
         - News
-        - Organization
-        - Search
+        - Notes-&-Productivity
+        - Operating-Systems
+        - Organization-&-Planning
+        - Programming-Language
         - Security
-        - SocialMedia
+        - Software
         - Streaming
         - Travel
+        - Version-Control
         - Video
+        - Virtualization
   - type: input
     attributes:
       label: Aliases
diff --git a/.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/update_monochrome_icon.yml b/.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/update_monochrome_icon.yml
index 35a5010d..d00174b8 100644
--- a/.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/update_monochrome_icon.yml
+++ b/.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/update_monochrome_icon.yml
@@ -29,6 +29,54 @@ body:
       options:
         - SVG
         - PNG
+  - type: dropdown
+    attributes:
+      label: Categories
+      multiple: true
+      options:
+        - AI
+        - Analytics-&-Monitoring
+        - Automation
+        - Browsers-&-Search
+        - Cloud-&-Hosting
+        - Communication
+        - Community-&-Social
+        - Content-Management
+        - Crypto
+        - Databases
+        - Design
+        - Development
+        - Downloaders
+        - E-Commerce
+        - Education
+        - File-Management-&-Sync
+        - Finance
+        - Food
+        - Framework
+        - Gaming
+        - Hardware
+        - Health
+        - Home-Automation
+        - Identity
+        - Infrastructure
+        - Library
+        - Mapping-&-Location
+        - Media
+        - Music-&-Audio
+        - Nature
+        - Networking
+        - News
+        - Notes-&-Productivity
+        - Operating-Systems
+        - Organization-&-Planning
+        - Programming-Language
+        - Security
+        - Software
+        - Streaming
+        - Travel
+        - Version-Control
+        - Video
+        - Virtualization
   - type: textarea
     attributes:
       label: Additional information
diff --git a/.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/update_normal_icon.yml b/.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/update_normal_icon.yml
index 1087c87c..fe29c651 100644
--- a/.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/update_normal_icon.yml
+++ b/.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/update_normal_icon.yml
@@ -24,6 +24,54 @@ body:
       options:
         - SVG
         - PNG
+  - type: dropdown
+    attributes:
+      label: Categories
+      multiple: true
+      options:
+        - AI
+        - Analytics-&-Monitoring
+        - Automation
+        - Browsers-&-Search
+        - Cloud-&-Hosting
+        - Communication
+        - Community-&-Social
+        - Content-Management
+        - Crypto
+        - Databases
+        - Design
+        - Development
+        - Downloaders
+        - E-Commerce
+        - Education
+        - File-Management-&-Sync
+        - Finance
+        - Food
+        - Framework
+        - Gaming
+        - Hardware
+        - Health
+        - Home-Automation
+        - Identity
+        - Infrastructure
+        - Library
+        - Mapping-&-Location
+        - Media
+        - Music-&-Audio
+        - Nature
+        - Networking
+        - News
+        - Notes-&-Productivity
+        - Operating-Systems
+        - Organization-&-Planning
+        - Programming-Language
+        - Security
+        - Software
+        - Streaming
+        - Travel
+        - Version-Control
+        - Video
+        - Virtualization
   - type: textarea
     attributes:
       label: Additional information
diff --git a/.github/workflows/on_icon_addition_approved.yml b/.github/workflows/on_icon_addition_approved.yml
index 6801116b..244a5fe4 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/on_icon_addition_approved.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/on_icon_addition_approved.yml
@@ -37,6 +37,58 @@ jobs:
         run: echo "ISSUE_FORM=$(python scripts/parse_issue_form.py)" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
         env:
           INPUT_ISSUE_BODY: ${{ github.event.issue.body }}
+      - name: Validate Categories
+        run: |
+          import json
+          import sys
+          import os
+
+          # Load allowed categories from metadata.map.json
+          map_file = "metadata.map.json"
+          try:
+              with open(map_file, 'r', encoding='utf-8') as f:
+                  map_data = json.load(f)
+              # Assuming the first key in the map holds the example structure
+              example_key = list(map_data.keys())[0]
+              allowed_categories = set(map_data[example_key]['categories'])
+              print(f"Loaded {len(allowed_categories)} allowed categories from {map_file}")
+          except Exception as e:
+              print(f"::error file={map_file}::Failed to load or parse allowed categories from {map_file}: {e}")
+              sys.exit(1)
+
+          # Load submitted form data
+          form_json_string = os.environ.get('INPUT_ISSUE_FORM')
+          if not form_json_string:
+            print("::error::Failed to get form JSON from environment variable.")
+            sys.exit(1)
+
+          try:
+              form_data = json.loads(form_json_string)
+          except json.JSONDecodeError as e:
+              print(f"::error::Failed to parse form JSON: {e}")
+              print(f"Form JSON string was: {form_json_string}")
+              sys.exit(1)
+
+          # Extract submitted categories (handle potential missing key or None value)
+          submitted_categories_str = form_data.get('Categories') # Label from issue form
+          submitted_categories = set()
+          if submitted_categories_str:
+              submitted_categories = set(cat.strip() for cat in submitted_categories_str.split('\\n') if cat.strip())
+
+          print(f"Submitted categories: {submitted_categories or 'None'}")
+
+          # Validate
+          invalid_categories = submitted_categories - allowed_categories
+
+          if invalid_categories:
+              print(f"::error::Invalid categories found: {', '.join(sorted(list(invalid_categories)))}")
+              print("Please ensure all submitted categories exist in metadata.map.json.")
+              sys.exit(1)
+          else:
+              print("All submitted categories are valid.")
+
+        env:
+          INPUT_ISSUE_FORM: ${{ steps.parse_issue_form.outputs.ISSUE_FORM }}
       - name: Create metadata file
         run: python scripts/generate_metadata_file.py ${{ env.ICON_TYPE }} addition
         env:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/on_icon_update_approved.yml b/.github/workflows/on_icon_update_approved.yml
index e87de189..cc2ca7fa 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/on_icon_update_approved.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/on_icon_update_approved.yml
@@ -37,6 +37,62 @@ jobs:
         run: echo "ISSUE_FORM=$(python scripts/parse_issue_form.py)" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
         env:
           INPUT_ISSUE_BODY: ${{ github.event.issue.body }}
+      - name: Validate Categories
+        run: |
+          import json
+          import sys
+          import os
+
+          # Load allowed categories from metadata.map.json
+          map_file = "metadata.map.json"
+          try:
+              with open(map_file, 'r', encoding='utf-8') as f:
+                  map_data = json.load(f)
+              # Assuming the first key in the map holds the example structure
+              example_key = list(map_data.keys())[0]
+              allowed_categories = set(map_data[example_key]['categories'])
+              print(f"Loaded {len(allowed_categories)} allowed categories from {map_file}")
+          except Exception as e:
+              print(f"::error file={map_file}::Failed to load or parse allowed categories from {map_file}: {e}")
+              sys.exit(1)
+
+          # Load submitted form data
+          form_json_string = os.environ.get('INPUT_ISSUE_FORM')
+          if not form_json_string:
+            print("::error::Failed to get form JSON from environment variable.")
+            sys.exit(1)
+
+          try:
+              form_data = json.loads(form_json_string)
+          except json.JSONDecodeError as e:
+              print(f"::error::Failed to parse form JSON: {e}")
+              print(f"Form JSON string was: {form_json_string}")
+              sys.exit(1)
+
+          # Extract submitted categories (handle potential missing key or None value)
+          # NOTE: The update forms might not have a 'Categories' field if categories aren't updatable via that form.
+          # If 'Categories' is missing or None in the form data, validation passes trivially.
+          submitted_categories_str = form_data.get('Categories') # Label from issue form
+          submitted_categories = set()
+          if submitted_categories_str:
+              submitted_categories = set(cat.strip() for cat in submitted_categories_str.split('\\n') if cat.strip())
+
+          if not submitted_categories_str:
+              print("No categories submitted in this form, skipping validation.")
+          else:
+              print(f"Submitted categories: {submitted_categories}")
+              # Validate
+              invalid_categories = submitted_categories - allowed_categories
+
+              if invalid_categories:
+                  print(f"::error::Invalid categories found: {', '.join(sorted(list(invalid_categories)))}")
+                  print("Please ensure all submitted categories exist in metadata.map.json.")
+                  sys.exit(1)
+              else:
+                  print("All submitted categories are valid.")
+
+        env:
+          INPUT_ISSUE_FORM: ${{ steps.parse_issue_form.outputs.ISSUE_FORM }}
       - name: Update metadata file
         run: python scripts/generate_metadata_file.py ${{ env.ICON_TYPE }} update
         env:
diff --git a/metadata.map.json b/metadata.map.json
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..68287b6e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/metadata.map.json
@@ -0,0 +1,65 @@
+{
+  "example-icon": {
+    "base": "svg",
+    "aliases": [
+      "example-alias",
+      "another-alias"
+    ],
+    "categories": [
+      "AI",
+      "Analytics-&-Monitoring",
+      "Automation",
+      "Browsers-&-Search",
+      "Cloud-&-Hosting",
+      "Communication",
+      "Community-&-Social",
+      "Content-Management",
+      "Crypto",
+      "Databases",
+      "Design",
+      "Development",
+      "Downloaders",
+      "E-Commerce",
+      "Education",
+      "File-Management-&-Sync",
+      "Finance",
+      "Food",
+      "Framework",
+      "Gaming",
+      "Hardware",
+      "Health",
+      "Home-Automation",
+      "Identity",
+      "Infrastructure",
+      "Library",
+      "Mapping-&-Location",
+      "Media",
+      "Music-&-Audio",
+      "Nature",
+      "Networking",
+      "News",
+      "Notes-&-Productivity",
+      "Operating-Systems",
+      "Organization-&-Planning",
+      "Programming-Language",
+      "Security",
+      "Software",
+      "Streaming",
+      "Travel",
+      "Version-Control",
+      "Video",
+      "Virtualization"
+    ],
+    "update": {
+      "timestamp": "YYYY-MM-DDTHH:mm:ssZ",
+      "author": {
+        "id": 12345678,
+        "login": "contributor-login"
+      }
+    },
+    "colors": {
+      "dark": "example-icon-dark",
+      "light": "example-icon-light"
+    }
+  }
+}
\ No newline at end of file