diff --git a/public/components/cms.html b/public/components/cms.html
index cb829666..96f45174 100644
--- a/public/components/cms.html
+++ b/public/components/cms.html
@@ -20,10 +20,10 @@
             <div class="cms-sidebar-section">
               <h4><i class="fas fa-folder-tree"></i> Categories</h4>
               <div id="lh-cms-categories" class="cms-cat-list"></div>
-              <div class="cms-add-cat">
-                <input type="text" id="lh-cms-cat-name" placeholder="New category..." class="cms-input-sm">
-                <button id="btn-lh-add-cat" class="cms-btn-add" title="Add category"><i class="fas fa-plus"></i></button>
-              </div>
+              <form id="lh-cms-add-category" class="cms-add-cat">
+                <input type="text" id="lh-cms-cat-name" placeholder="New category..." aria-label="New category name" class="cms-input-sm">
+                <button type="submit" id="btn-lh-add-cat" class="cms-btn-add" title="Add category">Add</button>
+              </form>
             </div>
 
             <div class="cms-sidebar-section">
diff --git a/public/css/styles.css b/public/css/styles.css
index 0bf15b47..e71c7f83 100644
--- a/public/css/styles.css
+++ b/public/css/styles.css
@@ -684,8 +684,9 @@ textarea.full-input{resize:vertical;}
 .cms-cat-item:hover{background:var(--g50);}
 .cms-cat-item .cms-cat-name{flex:1;overflow:hidden;text-overflow:ellipsis;white-space:nowrap;}
 .cms-cat-item .cms-cat-count{font-size:11px;color:var(--g400);margin:0 6px;}
-.cms-add-cat{display:flex;gap:4px;}
-.cms-btn-add{width:32px;height:32px;border:1px solid var(--g300);border-radius:6px;background:white;cursor:pointer;display:flex;align-items:center;justify-content:center;color:var(--blue);font-size:12px;}
+.cms-add-cat{display:flex;gap:4px;margin:0;}
+.cms-add-cat .cms-input-sm{flex:1;min-width:0;width:0;}
+.cms-btn-add{flex-shrink:0;min-width:44px;padding:6px 10px;border:1px solid var(--g300);border-radius:6px;background:white;cursor:pointer;display:flex;align-items:center;justify-content:center;color:var(--blue);font-size:12px;}
 .cms-btn-add:hover{background:var(--blue-light);}
 
 /* Input small */
diff --git a/public/js/learningHub.js b/public/js/learningHub.js
index a4b70e00..46e6c66f 100644
--- a/public/js/learningHub.js
+++ b/public/js/learningHub.js
@@ -107,7 +107,6 @@ import { createWebdavController } from './learningHub/webdavController.js';
 
     // ── CMS events ─────────────────────────────
     if (e.target.closest('#btn-lh-refresh-content')) { cms.loadContent(); cms.loadStats(); return; }
-    if (e.target.closest('#btn-lh-add-cat')) { cms.addCategory(); return; }
     if (e.target.closest('#btn-lh-new-content')) { openEditor(null, 'article'); return; }
     if (e.target.closest('#btn-lh-new-quiz')) { openEditor(null, 'quiz'); return; }
     if (e.target.closest('#btn-lh-new-pearl')) { openEditor(null, 'pearl'); return; }
@@ -177,6 +176,13 @@ import { createWebdavController } from './learningHub/webdavController.js';
     if (rmOpt) { var row = rmOpt.closest('.lh-option-row'); if (row) { destroyOptionEditor(row); row.remove(); } return; }
   });
 
+  // Native form submission handles both the visible Add button and Enter.
+  document.addEventListener('submit', function(e) {
+    if (e.target.id !== 'lh-cms-add-category') return;
+    e.preventDefault();
+    cms.addCategory();
+  });
+
   document.addEventListener('input', function(e) { cms.handleFilterInput(e); });
   document.addEventListener('change', function(e) { cms.handleFilterChange(e); });
 
diff --git a/test/learning-hub-manual-category.test.js b/test/learning-hub-manual-category.test.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..3d4aa86d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/learning-hub-manual-category.test.js
@@ -0,0 +1,81 @@
+const { test } = require('node:test');
+const assert = require('node:assert/strict');
+const fs = require('node:fs');
+const path = require('node:path');
+const { pathToFileURL } = require('node:url');
+const { JSDOM } = require('jsdom');
+
+const root = process.env.PEDAI_CMS_TEST_ROOT || path.join(__dirname, '..');
+const read = file => fs.readFileSync(path.join(root, file), 'utf8');
+const tick = () => new Promise(resolve => setImmediate(resolve));
+
+test('actual CMS category form creates manually once, supports native submit and preserves failed drafts', async () => {
+  const dom = new JSDOM('<!doctype html><style>' + read('public/css/styles.css') + '</style><body>' + read('public/components/cms.html') + '</body>');
+  const keys = ['window', 'document', 'fetch', 'getAuthHeaders', 'showToast'];
+  const previous = Object.fromEntries(keys.map(key => [key, global[key]]));
+  const calls = [], categories = [], notices = [];
+  let fail = false;
+  global.window = dom.window;
+  global.document = dom.window.document;
+  global.getAuthHeaders = () => ({ 'Content-Type': 'application/json' });
+  global.showToast = (message, type) => notices.push({ message, type });
+  global.fetch = async (url, options = {}) => {
+    calls.push({ url, options });
+    assert.ok(!url.includes('ai-generate'), 'Manual categories must not call AI');
+    if (options.method === 'POST') {
+      assert.equal(url, '/api/admin/learning/categories');
+      const payload = JSON.parse(options.body);
+      if (fail) return { json: async () => ({ success: false, error: 'Synthetic rejection' }) };
+      categories.push({ id: categories.length + 1, name: payload.name, slug: 'category-' + (categories.length + 1), content_count: 0 });
+      return { json: async () => ({ success: true, id: categories.length }) };
+    }
+    assert.ok(['/api/admin/learning/categories', '/api/learning/categories'].includes(url), url);
+    return { json: async () => ({ success: true, categories }) };
+  };
+  try {
+    const input = document.getElementById('lh-cms-cat-name');
+    const button = document.getElementById('btn-lh-add-cat');
+    const form = input.closest('form');
+    assert.ok(form, 'Category entry needs native form submission for Enter');
+    assert.equal(form.id, 'lh-cms-add-category');
+    assert.equal(button.type, 'submit');
+    assert.equal(button.textContent.trim(), 'Add', 'Creation remains discoverable without icon fonts');
+    assert.equal(input.getAttribute('aria-label'), 'New category name');
+    assert.match(window.getComputedStyle(input).minWidth, /^0(px)?$/, 'Input must shrink inside the sidebar');
+    assert.equal(window.getComputedStyle(button).flexShrink, '0', 'The Add control must remain visible');
+
+    await import(pathToFileURL(path.join(root, 'public/js/learningHub.js')).href);
+    const prevented = [];
+    document.addEventListener('submit', event => prevented.push(event.defaultPrevented));
+    input.value = '  Manual category  ';
+    button.click();
+    await tick(); await tick();
+    assert.equal(calls.filter(c => c.options.method === 'POST').length, 1);
+    assert.equal(categories[0].name, 'Manual category');
+    assert.equal(input.value, '');
+    assert.match(document.getElementById('lh-cms-categories').textContent, /Manual category/);
+
+    input.value = 'Keyboard category';
+    form.requestSubmit(); // Same submit path as the browser's implicit Enter action.
+    await tick(); await tick();
+    assert.equal(categories.length, 2);
+    assert.equal(calls.filter(c => c.options.method === 'POST').length, 2);
+
+    input.value = '  ';
+    form.requestSubmit();
+    await tick();
+    assert.equal(calls.filter(c => c.options.method === 'POST').length, 2);
+    assert.equal(notices.at(-1).message, 'Enter category name');
+
+    fail = true;
+    input.value = 'Keep this draft';
+    button.click();
+    await tick(); await tick();
+    assert.equal(input.value, 'Keep this draft');
+    assert.equal(notices.at(-1).message, 'Synthetic rejection');
+    assert.deepEqual(prevented, [true, true, true, true], 'Every path prevents native page navigation');
+  } finally {
+    for (const key of keys) global[key] = previous[key];
+    dom.window.close();
+  }
+});