diff --git a/src/main/java/run/halo/app/theme/finders/impl/CategoryFinderImpl.java b/src/main/java/run/halo/app/theme/finders/impl/CategoryFinderImpl.java
index 54bb219cc..ea5f16f3c 100644
--- a/src/main/java/run/halo/app/theme/finders/impl/CategoryFinderImpl.java
+++ b/src/main/java/run/halo/app/theme/finders/impl/CategoryFinderImpl.java
@@ -82,9 +82,12 @@ public class CategoryFinderImpl implements CategoryFinder {
 
         nameIdentityMap.forEach((name, value) -> {
             List<String> children = value.getSpec().getChildren();
-            if (children != null) {
-                for (String child : children) {
-                    CategoryTreeVo childNode = nameIdentityMap.get(child);
+            if (children == null) {
+                return;
+            }
+            for (String child : children) {
+                CategoryTreeVo childNode = nameIdentityMap.get(child);
+                if (childNode != null) {
                     childNode.setParentName(name);
                 }
             }
diff --git a/src/main/java/run/halo/app/theme/finders/impl/MenuFinderImpl.java b/src/main/java/run/halo/app/theme/finders/impl/MenuFinderImpl.java
index 95e819283..2bbd9cf25 100644
--- a/src/main/java/run/halo/app/theme/finders/impl/MenuFinderImpl.java
+++ b/src/main/java/run/halo/app/theme/finders/impl/MenuFinderImpl.java
@@ -127,9 +127,12 @@ public class MenuFinderImpl implements MenuFinder {
 
         nameIdentityMap.forEach((name, value) -> {
             LinkedHashSet<String> children = value.getSpec().getChildren();
-            if (children != null) {
-                for (String child : children) {
-                    MenuItemVo childNode = nameIdentityMap.get(child);
+            if (children == null) {
+                return;
+            }
+            for (String child : children) {
+                MenuItemVo childNode = nameIdentityMap.get(child);
+                if (childNode != null) {
                     childNode.setParentName(name);
                 }
             }
diff --git a/src/test/java/run/halo/app/theme/finders/impl/CategoryFinderImplTest.java b/src/test/java/run/halo/app/theme/finders/impl/CategoryFinderImplTest.java
index 4f862f289..b84f4b8f8 100644
--- a/src/test/java/run/halo/app/theme/finders/impl/CategoryFinderImplTest.java
+++ b/src/test/java/run/halo/app/theme/finders/impl/CategoryFinderImplTest.java
@@ -226,6 +226,7 @@ class CategoryFinderImplTest {
     }
 
     private List<Category> moreCategories() {
+        // see also https://github.com/halo-dev/halo/issues/2643
         String s = """
             [
                {
@@ -318,7 +319,8 @@ class CategoryFinderImplTest {
                         "bd95f914-22fc-4de5-afcc-a9ffba2f6401",
                         "e1150fd9-4512-453c-9186-f8de9c156c3d",
                         "acf09686-d5a7-4227-ba8c-3aeff063f12f",
-                        "ed064d5e-2b6f-4123-8114-78d0c6f2c4e2"
+                        "ed064d5e-2b6f-4123-8114-78d0c6f2c4e2",
+                        "non-existent-children-name"
                      ]
                   },
                   "status":{
diff --git a/src/test/java/run/halo/app/theme/finders/impl/MenuFinderImplTest.java b/src/test/java/run/halo/app/theme/finders/impl/MenuFinderImplTest.java
index e738dc3f4..d1963434b 100644
--- a/src/test/java/run/halo/app/theme/finders/impl/MenuFinderImplTest.java
+++ b/src/test/java/run/halo/app/theme/finders/impl/MenuFinderImplTest.java
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ class MenuFinderImplTest {
         Menu menuX = menu("X", of("G"));
         Menu menuY = menu("Y", of("F"));
 
-        MenuItem itemE = menuItem("E", of("A", "C"));
+        MenuItem itemE = menuItem("E", of("A", "C", "non-existent-children-name"));
         MenuItem itemG = menuItem("G", null);
         MenuItem itemF = menuItem("F", of("H"));
         MenuItem itemA = menuItem("A", of("B"));