diff --git a/distribution/src/config/log4j2.properties b/distribution/src/config/log4j2.properties
index 0e834735e9761..926d206664855 100644
--- a/distribution/src/config/log4j2.properties
+++ b/distribution/src/config/log4j2.properties
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ appender.deprecation_rolling.name = deprecation_rolling
 appender.deprecation_rolling.fileName = ${sys:es.logs.base_path}${sys:file.separator}${sys:es.logs.cluster_name}_deprecation.json
 appender.deprecation_rolling.layout.type = ESJsonLayout
 appender.deprecation_rolling.layout.type_name = deprecation.elasticsearch
-appender.deprecation_rolling.layout.esmessagefields=x-opaque-id,key
+appender.deprecation_rolling.layout.esmessagefields=x-opaque-id,key,category
 appender.deprecation_rolling.filter.rate_limit.type = RateLimitingFilter
 
 appender.deprecation_rolling.filePattern = ${sys:es.logs.base_path}${sys:file.separator}${sys:es.logs.cluster_name}_deprecation-%i.json.gz
diff --git a/qa/logging-config/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/common/logging/JsonLoggerTests.java b/qa/logging-config/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/common/logging/JsonLoggerTests.java
index 3f5f00c267a83..3417b06d8b918 100644
--- a/qa/logging-config/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/common/logging/JsonLoggerTests.java
+++ b/qa/logging-config/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/common/logging/JsonLoggerTests.java
@@ -150,6 +150,7 @@ public void testParseFieldEmittingDeprecatedLogs() throws Exception {
                         allOf(
                             hasEntry("type", "deprecation.elasticsearch"),
                             hasEntry("level", "CRITICAL"),
+                            hasEntry("category", "api"),
                             hasEntry("component", "o.e.d.x.ParseField"),
                             hasEntry("cluster.name", "elasticsearch"),
                             hasEntry("node.name", "sample-name"),
@@ -161,6 +162,7 @@ public void testParseFieldEmittingDeprecatedLogs() throws Exception {
                         allOf(
                             hasEntry("type", "deprecation.elasticsearch"),
                             hasEntry("level", "CRITICAL"),
+                            hasEntry("category", "api"),
                             hasEntry("component", "o.e.d.x.ParseField"),
                             hasEntry("cluster.name", "elasticsearch"),
                             hasEntry("node.name", "sample-name"),
@@ -200,6 +202,7 @@ public void testDeprecatedMessage() throws Exception {
                         allOf(
                             hasEntry("type", "deprecation.elasticsearch"),
                             hasEntry("level", "CRITICAL"),
+                            hasEntry("category", "other"),
                             hasEntry("component", "o.e.d.test"),
                             hasEntry("cluster.name", "elasticsearch"),
                             hasEntry("node.name", "sample-name"),
@@ -347,6 +350,7 @@ public void testDuplicateLogMessages() throws Exception {
                     allOf(
                         hasEntry("type", "deprecation.elasticsearch"),
                         hasEntry("level", "CRITICAL"),
+                        hasEntry("category", "other"),
                         hasEntry("component", "o.e.d.test"),
                         hasEntry("cluster.name", "elasticsearch"),
                         hasEntry("node.name", "sample-name"),
@@ -381,6 +385,7 @@ public void testDuplicateLogMessages() throws Exception {
                         allOf(
                             hasEntry("type", "deprecation.elasticsearch"),
                             hasEntry("level", "CRITICAL"),
+                            hasEntry("category", "other"),
                             hasEntry("component", "o.e.d.test"),
                             hasEntry("cluster.name", "elasticsearch"),
                             hasEntry("node.name", "sample-name"),
@@ -390,6 +395,7 @@ public void testDuplicateLogMessages() throws Exception {
                         allOf(
                             hasEntry("type", "deprecation.elasticsearch"),
                             hasEntry("level", "CRITICAL"),
+                            hasEntry("category", "other"),
                             hasEntry("component", "o.e.d.test"),
                             hasEntry("cluster.name", "elasticsearch"),
                             hasEntry("node.name", "sample-name"),
diff --git a/qa/logging-config/src/test/resources/org/elasticsearch/common/logging/json_layout/log4j2.properties b/qa/logging-config/src/test/resources/org/elasticsearch/common/logging/json_layout/log4j2.properties
index 91395921ceccc..ce639619e56ca 100644
--- a/qa/logging-config/src/test/resources/org/elasticsearch/common/logging/json_layout/log4j2.properties
+++ b/qa/logging-config/src/test/resources/org/elasticsearch/common/logging/json_layout/log4j2.properties
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ appender.deprecated.name = deprecated
 appender.deprecated.fileName = ${sys:es.logs.base_path}${sys:file.separator}${sys:es.logs.cluster_name}_deprecated.json
 appender.deprecated.layout.type = ESJsonLayout
 appender.deprecated.layout.type_name = deprecation.elasticsearch
-appender.deprecated.layout.esmessagefields = x-opaque-id,key
+appender.deprecated.layout.esmessagefields = x-opaque-id,key,category
 appender.deprecated.filter.rate_limit.type = RateLimitingFilter
 
 appender.deprecation_rolling_old.type = File
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ appender.deprecatedconsole.type = Console
 appender.deprecatedconsole.name = deprecatedconsole
 appender.deprecatedconsole.layout.type = ESJsonLayout
 appender.deprecatedconsole.layout.type_name = deprecation.elasticsearch
-appender.deprecatedconsole.layout.esmessagefields = x-opaque-id,key
+appender.deprecatedconsole.layout.esmessagefields = x-opaque-id,key,category
 appender.deprecatedconsole.filter.rate_limit.type = RateLimitingFilter
 
 appender.index_search_slowlog_rolling.type = File