diff --git a/wwpdb/utils/nmr/ann/OneDepAnnTasks.py b/wwpdb/utils/nmr/ann/OneDepAnnTasks.py
index b8f87ed2..c185178c 100644
--- a/wwpdb/utils/nmr/ann/OneDepAnnTasks.py
+++ b/wwpdb/utils/nmr/ann/OneDepAnnTasks.py
@@ -2187,16 +2187,20 @@ def replace_none(array, default: str = '.'):
 
         # merge categories of model file as secondary source of NMRIF
         if cR is not None:
-            existing_categories, target_categories = [], []
-
-            for categories in cifObj.getCategoryNameList(self.__entryId):
-                existing_categories.extend(categories)
+            primary_categories = cifObj.getCategoryNameList(self.__entryId)
+            secondary_categories = cR.getCategoryNameList()
 
+            target_categories = []
             for cif_page in self.__cifPages:
-                if not any(cif_category in existing_categories for cif_category in self.__cifRequirements[cif_page]):
+                if not any(cif_category in primary_categories for cif_category in self.__cifRequirements[cif_page]):
                     for cif_category in self.__cifRequirements[cif_page]:
                         if cif_category not in target_categories:
                             target_categories.append(cif_category)
+                else:
+                    for cif_category in self.__cifRequirements[cif_page]:
+                        if cif_category not in primary_categories and cif_category in secondary_categories:
+                            if cif_category not in target_categories:
+                                target_categories.append(cif_category)
 
             if len(target_categories) > 0:
                 for cif_category in target_categories:
diff --git a/wwpdb/utils/nmr/io/CifReader.py b/wwpdb/utils/nmr/io/CifReader.py
index ea460051..e71a7699 100644
--- a/wwpdb/utils/nmr/io/CifReader.py
+++ b/wwpdb/utils/nmr/io/CifReader.py
@@ -441,17 +441,23 @@ def getDataBlock(self, blockId: Optional[str] = None) -> Optional[DataContainer]
 
         return dBlock if self.__setDataBlock(dBlock) else None
 
-    def hasCategory(self, catName: str, blockId: Optional[str] = None) -> bool:
-        """ Return whether a given category exists.
+    def getCategoryNameList(self, blockId: Optional[str] = None) -> List[str]:
+        """ Return all category names in a given datablock.
         """
 
         if blockId is not None and self.__dBlock is not None and self.__dBlock.getName() != blockId:
             self.__setDataBlock(self.getDataBlock(blockId))
 
         if self.__dBlock is None:
-            return False
+            return []
+
+        return self.__dBlock.getObjNameList()
+
+    def hasCategory(self, catName: str, blockId: Optional[str] = None) -> bool:
+        """ Return whether a given category exists.
+        """
 
-        return catName in self.__dBlock.getObjNameList()
+        return catName in self.getCategoryNameList(blockId)
 
     def hasItem(self, catName: str, itName: str, blockId: Optional[str] = None) -> bool:
         """ Return whether a given item exists in a category.
diff --git a/wwpdb/utils/nmr/io/mmCIFUtil.py b/wwpdb/utils/nmr/io/mmCIFUtil.py
index 45cc8c60..0695cf72 100644
--- a/wwpdb/utils/nmr/io/mmCIFUtil.py
+++ b/wwpdb/utils/nmr/io/mmCIFUtil.py
@@ -398,6 +398,12 @@ def getCategoryNameList(self, blockName: str, ext: int = 1) -> List[str]:
 
         return self.__dBlockList[self.__dBlockMap[get_ext_block_name(blockName, ext)]].getObjNameList()
 
+    def hasCategory(self, blockName: str, catName: str, ext: int = 1) -> bool:
+        """ Return whether a given category exists.
+        """
+
+        return catName in self.getCategoryNameList(blockName, ext)
+
     def getAttributeList(self, blockName: str, catName: str, ext: int = 1) -> List[str]:
         """ Get item names in given datablock and category.
         """
@@ -412,6 +418,12 @@ def getAttributeList(self, blockName: str, catName: str, ext: int = 1) -> List[s
 
         return catObj.getAttributeList()
 
+    def hasItem(self, blockName: str, catName: str, itName: str, ext: int = 1) -> bool:
+        """ Return whether a given item exists in a category.
+        """
+
+        return itName in self.getAttributeList(blockName, catName, ext)
+
     def getRowLength(self, blockName: str, catName: str, ext: int = 1) -> int:
         """ Return length of rows of a given datablock and category.
         """