diff --git a/package-lock.json b/package-lock.json
index 82adfbb..baf5d88 100644
--- a/package-lock.json
+++ b/package-lock.json
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
         "@fastify/websocket": "^10.0.1",
         "@mapeo/crypto": "^1.0.0-alpha.10",
         "@sinclair/typebox": "^0.34.15",
+        "@sindresorhus/slugify": "^2.2.1",
         "@types/qrcode": "^1.5.5",
         "env-schema": "^6.0.1",
         "fastify": "^4.29.0",
@@ -1627,6 +1628,61 @@
         "url": "https://github.com/sponsors/sindresorhus"
       }
     },
+    "node_modules/@sindresorhus/slugify": {
+      "version": "2.2.1",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@sindresorhus/slugify/-/slugify-2.2.1.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-MkngSCRZ8JdSOCHRaYd+D01XhvU3Hjy6MGl06zhOk614hp9EOAp5gIkBeQg7wtmxpitU6eAL4kdiRMcJa2dlrw==",
+      "license": "MIT",
+      "dependencies": {
+        "@sindresorhus/transliterate": "^1.0.0",
+        "escape-string-regexp": "^5.0.0"
+      },
+      "engines": {
+        "node": ">=12"
+      },
+      "funding": {
+        "url": "https://github.com/sponsors/sindresorhus"
+      }
+    },
+    "node_modules/@sindresorhus/slugify/node_modules/escape-string-regexp": {
+      "version": "5.0.0",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/escape-string-regexp/-/escape-string-regexp-5.0.0.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-/veY75JbMK4j1yjvuUxuVsiS/hr/4iHs9FTT6cgTexxdE0Ly/glccBAkloH/DofkjRbZU3bnoj38mOmhkZ0lHw==",
+      "license": "MIT",
+      "engines": {
+        "node": ">=12"
+      },
+      "funding": {
+        "url": "https://github.com/sponsors/sindresorhus"
+      }
+    },
+    "node_modules/@sindresorhus/transliterate": {
+      "version": "1.6.0",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@sindresorhus/transliterate/-/transliterate-1.6.0.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-doH1gimEu3A46VX6aVxpHTeHrytJAG6HgdxntYnCFiIFHEM/ZGpG8KiZGBChchjQmG0XFIBL552kBTjVcMZXwQ==",
+      "license": "MIT",
+      "dependencies": {
+        "escape-string-regexp": "^5.0.0"
+      },
+      "engines": {
+        "node": ">=12"
+      },
+      "funding": {
+        "url": "https://github.com/sponsors/sindresorhus"
+      }
+    },
+    "node_modules/@sindresorhus/transliterate/node_modules/escape-string-regexp": {
+      "version": "5.0.0",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/escape-string-regexp/-/escape-string-regexp-5.0.0.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-/veY75JbMK4j1yjvuUxuVsiS/hr/4iHs9FTT6cgTexxdE0Ly/glccBAkloH/DofkjRbZU3bnoj38mOmhkZ0lHw==",
+      "license": "MIT",
+      "engines": {
+        "node": ">=12"
+      },
+      "funding": {
+        "url": "https://github.com/sponsors/sindresorhus"
+      }
+    },
     "node_modules/@trivago/prettier-plugin-sort-imports": {
       "version": "4.3.0",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@trivago/prettier-plugin-sort-imports/-/prettier-plugin-sort-imports-4.3.0.tgz",
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index d7af6c3..7df5862 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -69,6 +69,7 @@
     "@fastify/websocket": "^10.0.1",
     "@mapeo/crypto": "^1.0.0-alpha.10",
     "@sinclair/typebox": "^0.34.15",
+    "@sindresorhus/slugify": "^2.2.1",
     "@types/qrcode": "^1.5.5",
     "env-schema": "^6.0.1",
     "fastify": "^4.29.0",
diff --git a/src/routes/observations.js b/src/routes/observations.js
index b60124f..fd8511b 100644
--- a/src/routes/observations.js
+++ b/src/routes/observations.js
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import { Type } from '@sinclair/typebox'
+import slugify from '@sindresorhus/slugify'
 
 import * as errors from '../errors.js'
 import * as schemas from '../schemas.js'
@@ -106,8 +107,12 @@ export default async function observationRoutes(
 
       let preset
       if (category) {
-        const presets = await project.preset.getMany({ lang: locale })
-        preset = presets.find((p) => p.name === category)
+        const presets = await project.preset.getMany({ lang: locale || 'en' })
+        preset = presets.find(
+          (p) =>
+            slugify(p.name, { lowercase: true }) ===
+            slugify(category, { lowercase: true }),
+        )
         if (!preset) {
           throw errors.badRequestError(`Category "${category}" not found`)
         }
diff --git a/src/routes/projects.js b/src/routes/projects.js
index b3ca4e7..b425e37 100644
--- a/src/routes/projects.js
+++ b/src/routes/projects.js
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ export default async function projectsRoutes(fastify, opts) {
       }
       const presets = locale
         ? await project.preset.getMany({ lang: locale })
-        : await project.preset.getMany({ lang: locale })
+        : await project.preset.getMany()
       const fields = await project.field.getMany()
 
       // Create a map of field docIds to field objects for quick lookup