diff --git a/pelican/contents.py b/pelican/contents.py
index c0a3e775..11459f77 100644
--- a/pelican/contents.py
+++ b/pelican/contents.py
@@ -584,7 +584,7 @@ class Page(Content):
 
 
 class Article(Content):
-    mandatory_properties = ("title", "date", "category")
+    mandatory_properties = ("title", "date")
     allowed_statuses = ("published", "hidden", "draft", "skip")
     default_status = "published"
     default_template = "article"
diff --git a/pelican/generators.py b/pelican/generators.py
index b7eef104..515257c4 100644
--- a/pelican/generators.py
+++ b/pelican/generators.py
@@ -513,7 +513,7 @@ class ArticlesGenerator(CachingGenerator):
                 self.get_template(article.template),
                 self.context,
                 article=article,
-                category=article.category,
+                category=getattr(article, "category", None),
                 override_output=hasattr(article, "override_save_as"),
                 url=article.url,
                 blog=True,
@@ -764,7 +764,8 @@ class ArticlesGenerator(CachingGenerator):
         for article in self.articles:
             # only main articles are listed in categories and tags
             # not translations or hidden articles
-            self.categories[article.category].append(article)
+            if hasattr(article, "category"):
+                self.categories[article.category].append(article)
             if hasattr(article, "tags"):
                 for tag in article.tags:
                     self.tags[tag].append(article)
diff --git a/pelican/readers.py b/pelican/readers.py
index dfa76638..508d655f 100644
--- a/pelican/readers.py
+++ b/pelican/readers.py
@@ -746,7 +746,7 @@ def default_metadata(settings=None, process=None):
             if process:
                 value = process(name, value)
             metadata[name] = value
-        if "DEFAULT_CATEGORY" in settings:
+        if "DEFAULT_CATEGORY" in settings and settings.get("CATEGORY_SAVE_AS"):
             value = settings["DEFAULT_CATEGORY"]
             if process:
                 value = process("category", value)
@@ -811,7 +811,7 @@ def parse_path_metadata(source_path, settings=None, process=None):
         checks = []
         for key, data in [("FILENAME_METADATA", base), ("PATH_METADATA", source_path)]:
             checks.append((settings.get(key, None), data))
-        if settings.get("USE_FOLDER_AS_CATEGORY", None):
+        if settings.get("USE_FOLDER_AS_CATEGORY") and settings.get("CATEGORY_SAVE_AS"):
             checks.append(("(?P<category>.*)", subdir))
         for regexp, data in checks:
             if regexp and data:
diff --git a/pelican/tests/test_theme.py b/pelican/tests/test_theme.py
index 25d23b97..aa996081 100644
--- a/pelican/tests/test_theme.py
+++ b/pelican/tests/test_theme.py
@@ -133,6 +133,44 @@ class TestTemplateInheritance(LoggedTestCase):
         self.assertNotIn("Proudly powered by", content)
         self.assertIn("New footer", content)
 
+    def test_disabled_categories_no_links(self):
+        """When CATEGORY_SAVE_AS is empty, articles without an explicit
+        category should not get a default category or show category links."""
+
+        # Create an article without a Category metadata line
+        content_dir = mkdtemp(prefix="pelican_test_content.")
+        with open(os.path.join(content_dir, "no_category.md"), "w") as f:
+            f.write(
+                "Title: No Category Article\n"
+                "Date: 2024-01-01\n\n"
+                "Article without a category.\n"
+            )
+
+        try:
+            settings = read_settings(
+                path=None,
+                override={
+                    "THEME": "simple",
+                    "PATH": content_dir,
+                    "OUTPUT_PATH": self.temp_output,
+                    "CACHE_PATH": self.temp_cache,
+                    "SITEURL": "http://example.com",
+                    "CATEGORY_SAVE_AS": None,
+                    "CATEGORY_URL": None,
+                    "CATEGORIES_SAVE_AS": None,
+                },
+            )
+
+            pelican = Pelican(settings=settings)
+            mute(True)(pelican.run)()
+
+            with open(os.path.join(self.temp_output, "no-category-article.html")) as f:
+                content = f.read()
+
+            self.assertNotIn("Category:", content)
+        finally:
+            rmtree(content_dir)
+
     def test_category_and_tag_feed_titles_use_slug(self):
         """Feed link titles on category/tag pages should have unique titles."""