diff --git a/client/src/components/categorical/annoDialog.js b/client/src/components/categorical/annoDialog.js
index 2e66dc21..77e24f77 100644
--- a/client/src/components/categorical/annoDialog.js
+++ b/client/src/components/categorical/annoDialog.js
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ class AnnoDialog extends React.Component {
       errorMessage,
       validationError,
       annoSelect,
+      ontologySelect,
       annoInput,
       handleCancel,
       handleSubmit,
@@ -56,6 +57,7 @@ class AnnoDialog extends React.Component {
               </p>
             </div>
             {annoSelect || null}
+            {ontologySelect || null}
           </div>
           <div className={Classes.DIALOG_FOOTER}>
             <div className={Classes.DIALOG_FOOTER_ACTIONS}>
diff --git a/client/src/components/categorical/annoDialogAddLabel.js b/client/src/components/categorical/annoDialogAddLabel.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..98d3f932
--- /dev/null
+++ b/client/src/components/categorical/annoDialogAddLabel.js
@@ -0,0 +1,133 @@
+import React from "react";
+import { connect } from "react-redux";
+import AnnoDialog from "./annoDialog";
+import AnnoInputs from "./annoInputs";
+
+import { labelErrorMessage, isLabelErroneous } from "./labelUtil";
+
+@connect(state => ({
+  colorAccessor: state.colors.colorAccessor,
+  categoricalSelection: state.categoricalSelection,
+  annotations: state.annotations,
+  universe: state.universe,
+  ontology: state.ontology,
+  ontologyLoading: state.ontology?.loading,
+  ontologyEnabled: state.ontology?.enabled
+}))
+class Category extends React.Component {
+  constructor(props) {
+    super(props);
+    this.state = {
+      newLabelText: ""
+    };
+  }
+
+  disableAddNewLabelMode = () => {
+    const { dispatch } = this.props;
+    dispatch({
+      type: "annotation: disable add new label mode"
+    });
+    this.setState({
+      newLabelText: ""
+    });
+  };
+
+  handleAddNewLabelToCategory = () => {
+    const { dispatch, metadataField } = this.props;
+    const { newLabelText } = this.state;
+
+    dispatch({
+      type: "annotation: add new label to category",
+      metadataField,
+      newLabelText,
+      assignSelectedCells: false
+    });
+    this.setState({ newLabelText: "" });
+  };
+
+  addLabelAndAssignCells = () => {
+    const { dispatch, metadataField } = this.props;
+    const { newLabelText } = this.state;
+
+    dispatch({
+      type: "annotation: add new label to category",
+      metadataField,
+      newLabelText,
+      assignSelectedCells: true
+    });
+
+    this.setState({ newLabelText: "" });
+  };
+
+  handleCreateArbitraryLabel = newLabelTextNotInOntology => {
+    const { dispatch, metadataField } = this.props;
+
+    dispatch({
+      type: "annotation: add new label to category",
+      metadataField,
+      newLabelText: newLabelTextNotInOntology,
+      assignSelectedCells: false
+    });
+    this.setState({ newLabelText: "" });
+  };
+
+  labelNameError = name => {
+    const { metadataField, ontology, universe } = this.props;
+    return isLabelErroneous(name, metadataField, ontology, universe.schema);
+  };
+
+  labelNameErrorMessage = name => {
+    const { metadataField, ontology, universe } = this.props;
+    return labelErrorMessage(name, metadataField, ontology, universe.schema);
+  };
+
+  /* leaky to have both of these in multiple components */
+  handleChoice = e => {
+    this.setState({ newLabelText: e.target });
+  };
+
+  handleTextChange = text => {
+    this.setState({ newLabelText: text });
+  };
+
+  render() {
+    const { newLabelText } = this.state;
+    const { metadataField, annotations, ontologyEnabled } = this.props;
+
+    return (
+      <>
+        <AnnoDialog
+          isActive={
+            annotations.isAddingNewLabel &&
+            annotations.categoryAddingNewLabel === metadataField
+          }
+          title="Add new label to category"
+          instruction="New, unique label name:"
+          cancelTooltipContent="Close this dialog without adding a label."
+          primaryButtonText="Add label"
+          secondaryButtonText="Add label and assign currently selected cells"
+          handleSecondaryButtonSubmit={this.addLabelAndAssignCells}
+          text={newLabelText}
+          validationError={this.labelNameError(newLabelText)}
+          errorMessage={this.labelNameErrorMessage(newLabelText)}
+          handleSubmit={this.handleAddNewLabelToCategory}
+          handleCancel={this.disableAddNewLabelMode}
+          annoInput={
+            <AnnoInputs
+              useSuggest={ontologyEnabled}
+              text={newLabelText}
+              handleCreateArbitraryLabel={this.handleCreateArbitraryLabel}
+              handleItemChange={this.handleSuggestActiveItemChange}
+              handleChoice={this.handleChoice}
+              handleTextChange={this.handleTextChange}
+              isTextInvalid={this.labelNameError}
+              isTextInvalidErrorMessage={this.labelNameErrorMessage}
+            />
+          }
+        />
+      </>
+    );
+  }
+}
+
+export default Category;
diff --git a/client/src/components/categorical/annoDialogAddLabelFromOntology.js b/client/src/components/categorical/annoDialogAddLabelFromOntology.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..1e4e359f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/client/src/components/categorical/annoDialogAddLabelFromOntology.js
@@ -0,0 +1,131 @@
+import React from "react";
+import { connect } from "react-redux";
+import AnnoDialog from "./annoDialog";
+import OntologySelect from "./ontologySelect";
+
+import { labelErrorMessage, isLabelErroneous } from "./labelUtil";
+
+@connect(state => ({
+  colorAccessor: state.colors.colorAccessor,
+  categoricalSelection: state.categoricalSelection,
+  annotations: state.annotations,
+  universe: state.universe,
+  ontology: state.ontology,
+  ontologyLoading: state.ontology?.loading,
+  ontologyEnabled: state.ontology?.enabled
+}))
+class Category extends React.Component {
+  constructor(props) {
+    super(props);
+    this.state = {
+      newLabelText: ""
+    };
+  }
+
+  disableAddNewLabelFromOntologyMode = () => {
+    const { dispatch } = this.props;
+    dispatch({
+      type: "annotation: disable add new ontology label mode"
+    });
+    this.setState({
+      newLabelText: ""
+    });
+  };
+
+  handleAddNewLabelToCategory = () => {
+    const { dispatch, metadataField } = this.props;
+    const { newLabelText } = this.state;
+
+    dispatch({
+      type: "annotation: add new label to category",
+      metadataField,
+      newLabelText,
+      assignSelectedCells: false
+    });
+    this.setState({ newLabelText: "" });
+  };
+
+  addLabelAndAssignCells = () => {
+    const { dispatch, metadataField } = this.props;
+    const { newLabelText } = this.state;
+
+    dispatch({
+      type: "annotation: add new label to category",
+      metadataField,
+      newLabelText,
+      assignSelectedCells: true
+    });
+
+    this.setState({ newLabelText: "" });
+  };
+
+  handleCreateArbitraryLabel = newLabelTextNotInOntology => {
+    const { dispatch, metadataField } = this.props;
+
+    dispatch({
+      type: "annotation: add new label to category",
+      metadataField,
+      newLabelText: newLabelTextNotInOntology,
+      assignSelectedCells: false
+    });
+    this.setState({ newLabelText: "" });
+  };
+
+  labelNameError = name => {
+    const { metadataField, ontology, universe } = this.props;
+    return isLabelErroneous(name, metadataField, ontology, universe.schema);
+  };
+
+  labelNameErrorMessage = name => {
+    const { metadataField, ontology, universe } = this.props;
+    return labelErrorMessage(name, metadataField, ontology, universe.schema);
+  };
+
+  /* leaky to have both of these in multiple components */
+  handleChoice = e => {
+    this.setState({ newLabelText: e.target });
+  };
+
+  handleTextChange = text => {
+    this.setState({ newLabelText: text });
+  };
+
+  render() {
+    const { newLabelText } = this.state;
+    const { metadataField, annotations, ontology } = this.props;
+
+    return (
+      <>
+        <AnnoDialog
+          isActive={
+            annotations.isAddingNewLabelFromOntology &&
+            annotations.categoryAddingNewLabelFromOntology === metadataField
+          }
+          title="Add new label to category from existing ontology terms"
+          instruction="Choose an ontology term to use as a label name:"
+          cancelTooltipContent="Close this dialog without adding a label."
+          primaryButtonText="Add label"
+          secondaryButtonText="Add label and assign currently selected cells"
+          handleSecondaryButtonSubmit={this.addLabelAndAssignCells}
+          text={newLabelText}
+          validationError={this.labelNameError(newLabelText)}
+          errorMessage={this.labelNameErrorMessage(newLabelText)}
+          handleSubmit={this.handleAddNewLabelToCategory}
+          handleCancel={this.disableAddNewLabelFromOntologyMode}
+          ontologySelect={
+            <OntologySelect
+              handleChooseOntologyTermFromDropdown={term => {
+                this.handleChoice(term);
+              }}
+              categoryToDuplicate={newLabelText}
+              ontology={ontology}
+            />
+          }
+          annoInput={null}
+        />
+      </>
+    );
+  }
+}
+
+export default Category;
diff --git a/client/src/components/categorical/annoDialogEditCategoryName.js b/client/src/components/categorical/annoDialogEditCategoryName.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..fd43ea9e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/client/src/components/categorical/annoDialogEditCategoryName.js
@@ -0,0 +1,146 @@
+import React from "react";
+import _ from "lodash";
+import { connect } from "react-redux";
+import { Colors } from "@blueprintjs/core";
+import AnnoDialog from "./annoDialog";
+import AnnoInputs from "./annoInputs";
+
+import { AnnotationsHelpers } from "../../util/stateManager";
+
+@connect(state => ({
+  categoricalSelection: state.categoricalSelection,
+  annotations: state.annotations,
+  universe: state.universe,
+  ontology: state.ontology,
+  ontologyLoading: state.ontology?.loading,
+  ontologyEnabled: state.ontology?.enabled
+}))
+class AnnoDialogEditCategoryName extends React.Component {
+  constructor(props) {
+    super(props);
+    this.state = {
+      newCategoryText: props.metadataField
+    };
+  }
+
+  handleCategoryEditTextChange = txt => {
+    this.setState({
+      newCategoryText: txt
+    });
+  };
+
+  disableEditCategoryMode = () => {
+    const { dispatch } = this.props;
+    dispatch({
+      type: "annotation: disable category edit mode"
+    });
+  };
+
+  handleEditCategory = () => {
+    const { dispatch, metadataField, categoricalSelection } = this.props;
+    const { newCategoryText } = this.state;
+
+    const allCategoryNames = _.keys(categoricalSelection);
+
+    if (
+      (allCategoryNames.indexOf(newCategoryText) > -1 &&
+        newCategoryText !== metadataField) ||
+      newCategoryText === ""
+    ) {
+      return;
+    }
+
+    dispatch({
+      type: "annotation: category edited",
+      metadataField,
+      newCategoryText,
+      data: newCategoryText
+    });
+  };
+
+  categoryNameErrorMessage = () => {
+    const err = this.editedCategoryNameError();
+    if (err === false) return null;
+
+    const errorMessageMap = {
+      /* map error code to human readable error message */
+      "empty-string": "Blank names not allowed",
+      duplicate: "Category name must be unique",
+      "trim-spaces": "Leading and trailing spaces not allowed",
+      "illegal-characters":
+        "Only alphanumeric and special characters (-_.) allowed",
+      "multi-space-run": "Multiple consecutive spaces not allowed"
+    };
+    const errorMessage = errorMessageMap[err] ?? "error";
+    return (
+      <span
+        style={{
+          display: "block",
+          fontStyle: "italic",
+          fontSize: 12,
+          marginTop: 5,
+          color: Colors.ORANGE3
+        }}
+      >
+        {errorMessage}
+      </span>
+    );
+  };
+
+  editedCategoryNameError = () => {
+    const { metadataField, categoricalSelection } = this.props;
+    const { newCategoryText } = this.state;
+
+    /* check for syntax errors in category name */
+    const error = AnnotationsHelpers.annotationNameIsErroneous(newCategoryText);
+    if (error) {
+      return error;
+    }
+
+    /* check for duplicative categories */
+    const allCategoryNames = _.keys(categoricalSelection);
+    const categoryNameAlreadyExists =
+      allCategoryNames.indexOf(newCategoryText) > -1;
+    const sameName = newCategoryText === metadataField;
+    if (categoryNameAlreadyExists && !sameName) {
+      return "duplicate";
+    }
+
+    /* otherwise, no error */
+    return false;
+  };
+
+  render() {
+    const { newCategoryText } = this.state;
+    const { metadataField, annotations } = this.props;
+
+    return (
+      <>
+        <AnnoDialog
+          isActive={
+            annotations.isEditingCategoryName &&
+            annotations.categoryBeingEdited === metadataField
+          }
+          title="Edit category name"
+          instruction="New, unique category name:"
+          cancelTooltipContent="Close this dialog without editing this category."
+          primaryButtonText="Edit category name"
+          text={newCategoryText}
+          validationError={this.editedCategoryNameError(newCategoryText)}
+          errorMessage={this.categoryNameErrorMessage(newCategoryText)}
+          handleSubmit={this.handleEditCategory}
+          handleCancel={this.disableEditCategoryMode}
+          annoInput={
+            <AnnoInputs
+              useSuggest={false}
+              text={newCategoryText}
+              handleTextChange={this.handleCategoryEditTextChange}
+            />
+          }
+        />
+      </>
+    );
+  }
+}
+
+export default AnnoDialogEditCategoryName;
diff --git a/client/src/components/categorical/annoInputs.js b/client/src/components/categorical/annoInputs.js
index 17d02fc8..e15ee312 100644
--- a/client/src/components/categorical/annoInputs.js
+++ b/client/src/components/categorical/annoInputs.js
@@ -1,94 +1,6 @@
 import React from "react";
 import { connect } from "react-redux";
-import { InputGroup, MenuItem } from "@blueprintjs/core";
-import { Suggest } from "@blueprintjs/select";
-import fuzzysort from "fuzzysort";
-
-const filterOntology = (query, ontology) =>
-  /* fires on load, once, and then for each character typed into the input */
-  fuzzysort.go(query, ontology, {
-    limit: 100,
-    threshold: -10000 // don't return bad results
-  });
-
-const renderListItem = (fuzzySortResult, { handleClick, modifiers }) => {
-  if (!modifiers.matchesPredicate) {
-    return null;
-  }
-  /* the fuzzysort wraps the object with other properties, like a score */
-  const geneName = fuzzySortResult.target;
-
-  return (
-    <MenuItem
-      active={modifiers.active}
-      disabled={modifiers.disabled}
-      data-testid={`suggest-menu-item-${geneName}`}
-      // Use of annotations in this way is incorrect and dataset specific.
-      // See https://github.com/chanzuckerberg/cellxgene/issues/483
-      // label={gene.n_counts}
-      key={geneName}
-      onClick={g =>
-        /* this fires when user clicks a menu item */
-        handleClick(g)
-      }
-      text={geneName}
-    />
-  );
-};
-
-const AnnoSuggest = props => {
-  const {
-    ontologyLoading,
-    handleItemChange,
-    handleChoice,
-    ontology,
-    handleCreateArbitraryLabel,
-    handleTextChange,
-    isTextInvalid,
-    isTextInvalidErrorMessage
-  } = props;
-  return (
-    <Suggest
-      fill
-      resetOnSelect
-      closeOnSelect
-      resetOnClose
-      createNewItemFromQuery={() => {}}
-      createNewItemRenderer={userInputStr => {
-        return isTextInvalid?.(userInputStr) ? (
-          <MenuItem disabled text={isTextInvalidErrorMessage(userInputStr)} />
-        ) : (
-          <MenuItem
-            icon="add"
-            text="Create a label not in the ontology"
-            active
-            onClick={() => {
-              handleCreateArbitraryLabel(userInputStr);
-            }}
-            shouldDismissPopover={false}
-          />
-        );
-      }}
-      itemDisabled={ontologyLoading ? () => true : () => false}
-      noResults={<MenuItem disabled text="No matching ontology identifier" />}
-      onItemSelect={handleChoice}
-      initialContent={
-        <MenuItem disabled text="Enter an ontology identifier…" />
-      }
-      inputProps={{ "data-testid": "gene-search" }}
-      inputValueRenderer={t => t.target}
-      itemListPredicate={filterOntology}
-      onActiveItemChange={handleItemChange}
-      itemRenderer={renderListItem.bind(this)}
-      items={!ontologyLoading && ontology ? ontology : ["No ontology loaded"]}
-      popoverProps={{ minimal: true }}
-      onQueryChange={(s, e) => {
-        // undefined event means resetOnSelect
-        if (e !== undefined) handleTextChange?.(s);
-      }}
-    />
-  );
-};
+import { InputGroup } from "@blueprintjs/core";
 
 const VanillaInput = props => {
   const { text, handleTextChange } = props;
@@ -119,38 +31,10 @@ class AnnoInputs extends React.Component {
   }
 
   render() {
-    const {
-      useSuggest,
-      handleTextChange,
-      text,
-      ontologyLoading,
-      world,
-      handleChoice,
-      handleItemChange,
-      handleCreateArbitraryLabel,
-      ontology,
-      isTextInvalid,
-      isTextInvalidErrorMessage
-    } = this.props;
+    const { handleTextChange, text } = this.props;
     return (
       <div>
-        {/* Le sigh https://github.com/palantir/blueprint/issues/2864 */}
-        {useSuggest ? (
-          <AnnoSuggest
-            world={world}
-            text={text}
-            handleChoice={handleChoice}
-            ontologyLoading={ontologyLoading}
-            handleCreateArbitraryLabel={handleCreateArbitraryLabel}
-            handleItemChange={handleItemChange}
-            ontology={ontology}
-            handleTextChange={handleTextChange}
-            isTextInvalid={isTextInvalid}
-            isTextInvalidErrorMessage={isTextInvalidErrorMessage}
-          />
-        ) : (
-          <VanillaInput text={text} handleTextChange={handleTextChange} />
-        )}
+        <VanillaInput text={text} handleTextChange={handleTextChange} />
       </div>
     );
   }
diff --git a/client/src/components/categorical/annoMenuCategory.js b/client/src/components/categorical/annoMenuCategory.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..db2c3fd5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/client/src/components/categorical/annoMenuCategory.js
@@ -0,0 +1,125 @@
+import React from "react";
+import { connect } from "react-redux";
+import {
+  Button,
+  Menu,
+  MenuItem,
+  Popover,
+  Position,
+  PopoverInteractionKind
+} from "@blueprintjs/core";
+
+@connect(state => ({
+  annotations: state.annotations,
+  ontologyEnabled: state.ontology?.enabled
+}))
+class AnnoMenuCategory extends React.Component {
+  constructor(props) {
+    super(props);
+    this.state = {};
+  }
+
+  activateAddNewLabelMode = () => {
+    const { dispatch, metadataField } = this.props;
+    dispatch({
+      type: "annotation: activate add new label mode",
+      data: metadataField
+    });
+  };
+
+  activateAddNewOntologyLabelMode = () => {
+    const { dispatch, metadataField } = this.props;
+    dispatch({
+      type: "annotation: activate add new ontology label mode",
+      data: metadataField
+    });
+  };
+
+  activateEditCategoryMode = () => {
+    const { dispatch, metadataField } = this.props;
+
+    dispatch({
+      type: "annotation: activate category edit mode",
+      data: metadataField
+    });
+  };
+
+  handleDeleteCategory = () => {
+    const { dispatch, metadataField } = this.props;
+    dispatch({
+      type: "annotation: delete category",
+      metadataField
+    });
+  };
+
+  render() {
+    const {
+      metadataField,
+      annotations,
+      isUserAnno,
+      ontologyEnabled,
+      createText,
+      createFromOntologyText,
+      editText,
+      deleteText
+    } = this.props;
+
+    return (
+      <>
+        {isUserAnno ? (
+          <Popover
+            interactionKind={PopoverInteractionKind.HOVER}
+            boundary="window"
+            position={Position.RIGHT_TOP}
+            content={
+              <Menu>
+                <MenuItem
+                  icon="tag"
+                  data-testclass="handleAddNewLabelToCategory"
+                  data-testid={`handleAddNewLabelToCategory-${metadataField}`}
+                  onClick={this.activateAddNewLabelMode}
+                  text={createText}
+                />
+                {ontologyEnabled ? (
+                  <MenuItem
+                    icon="book"
+                    data-testclass="activateAddNewOntologyLabelMode"
+                    data-testid={`activateAddNewOntologyLabelMode-${metadataField}`}
+                    onClick={this.activateAddNewOntologyLabelMode}
+                    text={createFromOntologyText}
+                  />
+                ) : null}
+                <MenuItem
+                  icon="edit"
+                  disabled={annotations.isEditingCategoryName}
+                  data-testclass="activateEditCategoryMode"
+                  data-testid={`activateEditCategoryMode-${metadataField}`}
+                  onClick={this.activateEditCategoryMode}
+                  text={editText}
+                />
+                <MenuItem
+                  icon="delete"
+                  intent="danger"
+                  data-testclass="handleDeleteCategory"
+                  data-testid={`handleDeleteCategory-${metadataField}`}
+                  onClick={this.handleDeleteCategory}
+                  text={deleteText}
+                />
+              </Menu>
+            }
+          >
+            <Button
+              style={{ marginLeft: 0 }}
+              data-testclass="seeActions"
+              data-testid={`seeActions-${metadataField}`}
+              icon="more"
+              minimal
+            />
+          </Popover>
+        ) : null}
+      </>
+    );
+  }
+}
+
+export default AnnoMenuCategory;
diff --git a/client/src/components/categorical/category.js b/client/src/components/categorical/category.js
index dffbf95e..8f6cc538 100644
--- a/client/src/components/categorical/category.js
+++ b/client/src/components/categorical/category.js
@@ -2,25 +2,14 @@ import React from "react";
 import _ from "lodash";
 import { connect } from "react-redux";
 import { FaChevronRight, FaChevronDown } from "react-icons/fa";
-import { Flipper, Flipped } from "react-flip-toolkit";
-import {
-  Button,
-  Tooltip,
-  Menu,
-  MenuItem,
-  Popover,
-  Icon,
-  Position,
-  PopoverInteractionKind,
-  Colors
-} from "@blueprintjs/core";
-import AnnoDialog from "./annoDialog";
-import AnnoInputs from "./annoInputs";
+import { Button, Tooltip, Icon } from "@blueprintjs/core";
+import CategoryFlipperLayout from "./categoryFlipperLayout";
+import AnnoMenu from "./annoMenuCategory";
+import AnnoDialogEditCategoryName from "./annoDialogEditCategoryName";
+import AnnoDialogAddLabel from "./annoDialogAddLabel";
+import AnnoDialogAddLabelFromOntology from "./annoDialogAddLabelFromOntology";
 
 import * as globals from "../../globals";
-import Value from "./value";
-import { AnnotationsHelpers } from "../../util/stateManager";
-import { labelErrorMessage, isLabelErroneous } from "./labelUtil";
 
 @connect(state => ({
   colorAccessor: state.colors.colorAccessor,
@@ -36,9 +25,7 @@ class Category extends React.Component {
     super(props);
     this.state = {
       isChecked: true,
-      isExpanded: false,
-      newCategoryText: props.metadataField,
-      newLabelText: ""
+      isExpanded: false
     };
   }
 
@@ -72,115 +59,6 @@ class Category extends React.Component {
     }
   }
 
-  activateAddNewLabelMode = () => {
-    const { dispatch, metadataField } = this.props;
-    dispatch({
-      type: "annotation: activate add new label mode",
-      data: metadataField
-    });
-  };
-
-  disableAddNewLabelMode = () => {
-    const { dispatch } = this.props;
-    dispatch({
-      type: "annotation: disable add new label mode"
-    });
-    this.setState({
-      newLabelText: ""
-    });
-  };
-
-  handleAddNewLabelToCategory = () => {
-    const { dispatch, metadataField } = this.props;
-    const { newLabelText } = this.state;
-
-    dispatch({
-      type: "annotation: add new label to category",
-      metadataField,
-      newLabelText,
-      assignSelectedCells: false
-    });
-    this.setState({ newLabelText: "" });
-  };
-
-  addLabelAndAssignCells = () => {
-    const { dispatch, metadataField } = this.props;
-    const { newLabelText } = this.state;
-
-    dispatch({
-      type: "annotation: add new label to category",
-      metadataField,
-      newLabelText,
-      assignSelectedCells: true
-    });
-
-    this.setState({ newLabelText: "" });
-  };
-
-  handleCreateArbitraryLabel = newLabelTextNotInOntology => {
-    const { dispatch, metadataField } = this.props;
-
-    dispatch({
-      type: "annotation: add new label to category",
-      metadataField,
-      newLabelText: newLabelTextNotInOntology,
-      assignSelectedCells: false
-    });
-    this.setState({ newLabelText: "" });
-  };
-
-  handleCategoryEditTextChange = txt => {
-    this.setState({
-      newCategoryText: txt
-    });
-  };
-
-  activateEditCategoryMode = () => {
-    const { dispatch, metadataField } = this.props;
-
-    dispatch({
-      type: "annotation: activate category edit mode",
-      data: metadataField
-    });
-  };
-
-  disableEditCategoryMode = () => {
-    const { dispatch } = this.props;
-    dispatch({
-      type: "annotation: disable category edit mode"
-    });
-  };
-
-  handleEditCategory = () => {
-    const { dispatch, metadataField, categoricalSelection } = this.props;
-    const { newCategoryText } = this.state;
-
-    const allCategoryNames = _.keys(categoricalSelection);
-
-    if (
-      (allCategoryNames.indexOf(newCategoryText) > -1 &&
-        newCategoryText !== metadataField) ||
-      newCategoryText === ""
-    ) {
-      return;
-    }
-
-    dispatch({
-      type: "annotation: category edited",
-      metadataField,
-      newCategoryText,
-      data: newCategoryText
-    });
-  };
-
-  handleDeleteCategory = () => {
-    const { dispatch, metadataField } = this.props;
-    dispatch({
-      type: "annotation: delete category",
-      metadataField
-    });
-  };
-
   handleColorChange = () => {
     const { dispatch, metadataField } = this.props;
     dispatch({
@@ -189,77 +67,6 @@ class Category extends React.Component {
     });
   };
 
-  labelNameError = name => {
-    const { metadataField, ontology, universe } = this.props;
-    return isLabelErroneous(name, metadataField, ontology, universe.schema);
-  };
-
-  labelNameErrorMessage = name => {
-    const { metadataField, ontology, universe } = this.props;
-    return labelErrorMessage(name, metadataField, ontology, universe.schema);
-  };
-
-  categoryNameErrorMessage = () => {
-    const err = this.editedCategoryNameError();
-    if (err === false) return null;
-
-    const errorMessageMap = {
-      /* map error code to human readable error message */
-      "empty-string": "Blank names not allowed",
-      duplicate: "Category name must be unique",
-      "trim-spaces": "Leading and trailing spaces not allowed",
-      "illegal-characters":
-        "Only alphanumeric and special characters (-_.) allowed",
-      "multi-space-run": "Multiple consecutive spaces not allowed"
-    };
-    const errorMessage = errorMessageMap[err] ?? "error";
-    return (
-      <span
-        style={{
-          display: "block",
-          fontStyle: "italic",
-          fontSize: 12,
-          marginTop: 5,
-          color: Colors.ORANGE3
-        }}
-      >
-        {errorMessage}
-      </span>
-    );
-  };
-
-  editedCategoryNameError = () => {
-    const { metadataField, categoricalSelection } = this.props;
-    const { newCategoryText } = this.state;
-
-    /* check for syntax errors in category name */
-    const error = AnnotationsHelpers.annotationNameIsErroneous(newCategoryText);
-    if (error) {
-      return error;
-    }
-
-    /* check for duplicative categories */
-    const allCategoryNames = _.keys(categoricalSelection);
-    const categoryNameAlreadyExists =
-      allCategoryNames.indexOf(newCategoryText) > -1;
-    const sameName = newCategoryText === metadataField;
-    if (categoryNameAlreadyExists && !sameName) {
-      return "duplicate";
-    }
-
-    /* otherwise, no error */
-    return false;
-  };
-
-  /* leaky to have both of these in multiple components */
-  handleChoice = e => {
-    this.setState({ newLabelText: e.target });
-  };
-
-  handleTextChange = text => {
-    this.setState({ newLabelText: text });
-  };
-
   toggleAll() {
     const { dispatch, metadataField } = this.props;
     dispatch({
@@ -288,239 +95,103 @@ class Category extends React.Component {
     }
   }
 
-  renderCategoryItems(optTuples) {
-    const { metadataField, isUserAnno } = this.props;
-
-    return _.map(optTuples, (tuple, i) => {
-      return (
-        <Flipped key={tuple[1]} flipId={tuple[1]}>
-          {flippedProps => (
-            <Value
-              isUserAnno={isUserAnno}
-              optTuples={optTuples}
-              key={tuple[1]}
-              metadataField={metadataField}
-              categoryIndex={tuple[1]}
-              i={i}
-              flippedProps={flippedProps}
-            />
-          )}
-        </Flipped>
-      );
-    });
-  }
-
   render() {
-    const { isExpanded, isChecked, newLabelText, newCategoryText } = this.state;
+    const { isExpanded, isChecked } = this.state;
     const {
       metadataField,
       colorAccessor,
-      categoricalSelection,
       isUserAnno,
-      annotations,
-      ontologyEnabled
+      annotations
     } = this.props;
-    const { isTruncated } = categoricalSelection[metadataField];
-    const cat = categoricalSelection[metadataField];
-    const optTuples = [...cat.categoryValueIndices];
-    const optTuplesAsKey = _.map(optTuples, t => t[0]).join(""); // animation
 
     return (
-      <div
-        style={{
-          maxWidth: globals.maxControlsWidth
-        }}
-        data-testclass="category"
-        data-testid={`category-${metadataField}`}
+      <CategoryFlipperLayout
+        metadataField={metadataField}
+        isExpanded={isExpanded}
+        isUserAnno={isUserAnno}
       >
         <div
           style={{
             display: "flex",
-            justifyContent: "space-between",
-            alignItems: "baseline"
+            justifyContent: "flex-start",
+            alignItems: "flex-start"
           }}
         >
-          <div
+          <label className="bp3-control bp3-checkbox">
+            <input
+              data-testclass="category-select"
+              data-testid={`category-select-${metadataField}`}
+              onChange={this.handleToggleAllClick.bind(this)}
+              ref={el => {
+                this.checkbox = el;
+                return el;
+              }}
+              checked={isChecked}
+              type="checkbox"
+            />
+            <span className="bp3-control-indicator" />
+          </label>
+          <span
+            data-testid={`category-expand-${metadataField}`}
             style={{
-              display: "flex",
-              justifyContent: "flex-start",
-              alignItems: "flex-start"
+              cursor: "pointer",
+              display: "inline-block"
+            }}
+            onClick={() => {
+              const editingCategory =
+                annotations.isEditingCategoryName &&
+                annotations.categoryBeingEdited === metadataField;
+              if (!editingCategory) {
+                this.setState({ isExpanded: !isExpanded });
+              }
             }}
           >
-            <label className="bp3-control bp3-checkbox">
-              <input
-                data-testclass="category-select"
-                data-testid={`category-select-${metadataField}`}
-                onChange={this.handleToggleAllClick.bind(this)}
-                ref={el => {
-                  this.checkbox = el;
-                  return el;
-                }}
-                checked={isChecked}
-                type="checkbox"
-              />
-              <span className="bp3-control-indicator" />
-            </label>
-            <span
-              data-testid={`category-expand-${metadataField}`}
-              style={{
-                cursor: "pointer",
-                display: "inline-block"
-              }}
-              onClick={() => {
-                const editingCategory =
-                  annotations.isEditingCategoryName &&
-                  annotations.categoryBeingEdited === metadataField;
-                if (!editingCategory) {
-                  this.setState({ isExpanded: !isExpanded });
-                }
-              }}
-            >
-              {isUserAnno ? (
-                <Icon style={{ marginRight: 5 }} icon="tag" iconSize={16} />
-              ) : null}
-
-              {metadataField}
-
-              <AnnoDialog
-                isActive={
-                  annotations.isEditingCategoryName &&
-                  annotations.categoryBeingEdited === metadataField
-                }
-                title="Edit category name"
-                instruction="New, unique category name:"
-                cancelTooltipContent="Close this dialog without editing this category."
-                primaryButtonText="Edit category name"
-                text={newCategoryText}
-                validationError={this.editedCategoryNameError(newCategoryText)}
-                errorMessage={this.categoryNameErrorMessage(newCategoryText)}
-                handleSubmit={this.handleEditCategory}
-                handleCancel={this.disableEditCategoryMode}
-                annoInput={
-                  <AnnoInputs
-                    useSuggest={false}
-                    text={newCategoryText}
-                    handleTextChange={this.handleCategoryEditTextChange}
-                  />
-                }
-              />
-
-              {isExpanded ? (
-                <FaChevronDown
-                  data-testclass="category-expand-is-expanded"
-                  style={{ fontSize: 10, marginLeft: 5 }}
-                />
-              ) : (
-                <FaChevronRight
-                  data-testclass="category-expand-is-not-expanded"
-                  style={{ fontSize: 10, marginLeft: 5 }}
-                />
-              )}
-            </span>
-          </div>
-          <div>
             {isUserAnno ? (
-              <>
-                <AnnoDialog
-                  isActive={
-                    annotations.isAddingNewLabel &&
-                    annotations.categoryAddingNewLabel === metadataField
-                  }
-                  title="Add new label to category"
-                  instruction="New, unique label name:"
-                  cancelTooltipContent="Close this dialog without adding a label."
-                  primaryButtonText="Add"
-                  secondaryButtonText="Add label & assign currently selected cells"
-                  handleSecondaryButtonSubmit={this.addLabelAndAssignCells}
-                  text={newLabelText}
-                  validationError={this.labelNameError(newLabelText)}
-                  errorMessage={this.labelNameErrorMessage(newLabelText)}
-                  handleSubmit={this.handleAddNewLabelToCategory}
-                  handleCancel={this.disableAddNewLabelMode}
-                  annoInput={
-                    <AnnoInputs
-                      useSuggest={ontologyEnabled}
-                      text={newLabelText}
-                      handleCreateArbitraryLabel={
-                        this.handleCreateArbitraryLabel
-                      }
-                      handleItemChange={this.handleSuggestActiveItemChange}
-                      handleChoice={this.handleChoice}
-                      handleTextChange={this.handleTextChange}
-                      isTextInvalid={this.labelNameError}
-                      isTextInvalidErrorMessage={this.labelNameErrorMessage}
-                    />
-                  }
-                />
-                <Popover
-                  interactionKind={PopoverInteractionKind.HOVER}
-                  boundary="window"
-                  position={Position.RIGHT_TOP}
-                  content={
-                    <Menu>
-                      <MenuItem
-                        icon="tag"
-                        data-testclass="handleAddNewLabelToCategory"
-                        data-testid={`handleAddNewLabelToCategory-${metadataField}`}
-                        onClick={this.activateAddNewLabelMode}
-                        text="Add a new label to this category"
-                      />
-                      <MenuItem
-                        icon="edit"
-                        disabled={annotations.isEditingCategoryName}
-                        data-testclass="activateEditCategoryMode"
-                        data-testid={`activateEditCategoryMode-${metadataField}`}
-                        onClick={this.activateEditCategoryMode}
-                        text="Edit this category's name"
-                      />
-                      <MenuItem
-                        icon="delete"
-                        intent="danger"
-                        data-testclass="handleDeleteCategory"
-                        data-testid={`handleDeleteCategory-${metadataField}`}
-                        onClick={this.handleDeleteCategory}
-                        text="Delete this category, all associated labels, and remove all cell assignments"
-                      />
-                    </Menu>
-                  }
-                >
-                  <Button
-                    style={{ marginLeft: 0 }}
-                    data-testclass="seeActions"
-                    data-testid={`seeActions-${metadataField}`}
-                    icon="more"
-                    minimal
-                  />
-                </Popover>
-              </>
+              <Icon style={{ marginRight: 5 }} icon="tag" iconSize={16} />
             ) : null}
-            <Tooltip
-              content="Use as color scale"
-              position="bottom"
-              hoverOpenDelay={globals.tooltipHoverOpenDelay}
-            >
-              <Button
-                data-testclass="colorby"
-                data-testid={`colorby-${metadataField}`}
-                onClick={this.handleColorChange}
-                active={colorAccessor === metadataField}
-                intent={colorAccessor === metadataField ? "primary" : "none"}
-                icon="tint"
+            {metadataField}
+            {isExpanded ? (
+              <FaChevronDown
+                data-testclass="category-expand-is-expanded"
+                style={{ fontSize: 10, marginLeft: 5 }}
               />
-            </Tooltip>
-          </div>
-        </div>
-        <div style={{ marginLeft: 26 }}>
-          <Flipper spring="veryGentle" flipKey={optTuplesAsKey}>
-            {isExpanded ? this.renderCategoryItems(optTuples) : null}
-          </Flipper>
+            ) : (
+              <FaChevronRight
+                data-testclass="category-expand-is-not-expanded"
+                style={{ fontSize: 10, marginLeft: 5 }}
+              />
+            )}
+          </span>
         </div>
+        {<AnnoDialogEditCategoryName metadataField={metadataField} />}
+        {<AnnoDialogAddLabel metadataField={metadataField} />}
+        {<AnnoDialogAddLabelFromOntology metadataField={metadataField} />}
         <div>
-          {isExpanded && isTruncated ? (
-            <p style={{ paddingLeft: 15 }}>... truncated list ...</p>
-          ) : null}
+          <AnnoMenu
+            metadataField={metadataField}
+            isUserAnno={isUserAnno}
+            createText="Add a new label to this category"
+            createFromOntologyText="Add a new label to this category using existing ontology terms"
+            editText="Edit this category's name"
+            deleteText="Delete this category, all associated labels, and remove all cell assignments"
+          />
+
+          <Tooltip
+            content="Use as color scale"
+            position="bottom"
+            hoverOpenDelay={globals.tooltipHoverOpenDelay}
+          >
+            <Button
+              data-testclass="colorby"
+              data-testid={`colorby-${metadataField}`}
+              onClick={this.handleColorChange}
+              active={colorAccessor === metadataField}
+              intent={colorAccessor === metadataField ? "primary" : "none"}
+              icon="tint"
+            />
+          </Tooltip>
         </div>
-      </div>
+      </CategoryFlipperLayout>
     );
   }
 }
diff --git a/client/src/components/categorical/categoryFlipperLayout.js b/client/src/components/categorical/categoryFlipperLayout.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..87fcfd62
--- /dev/null
+++ b/client/src/components/categorical/categoryFlipperLayout.js
@@ -0,0 +1,84 @@
+import React from "react";
+import _ from "lodash";
+import { connect } from "react-redux";
+import { Flipper, Flipped } from "react-flip-toolkit";
+
+import * as globals from "../../globals";
+import Value from "./value";
+
+@connect(state => ({
+  categoricalSelection: state.categoricalSelection
+}))
+class Category extends React.Component {
+  constructor(props) {
+    super(props);
+    this.state = {};
+  }
+
+  renderCategoryItems(optTuples) {
+    const { metadataField, isUserAnno } = this.props;
+
+    return _.map(optTuples, (tuple, i) => {
+      return (
+        <Flipped key={tuple[1]} flipId={tuple[1]}>
+          {flippedProps => (
+            <Value
+              isUserAnno={isUserAnno}
+              optTuples={optTuples}
+              key={tuple[1]}
+              metadataField={metadataField}
+              categoryIndex={tuple[1]}
+              i={i}
+              flippedProps={flippedProps}
+            />
+          )}
+        </Flipped>
+      );
+    });
+  }
+
+  render() {
+    const {
+      metadataField,
+      categoricalSelection,
+      children,
+      isExpanded
+    } = this.props;
+    const { isTruncated } = categoricalSelection[metadataField];
+    const cat = categoricalSelection[metadataField];
+    const optTuples = [...cat.categoryValueIndices];
+    const optTuplesAsKey = _.map(optTuples, t => t[0]).join(""); // animation
+
+    return (
+      <div
+        style={{
+          maxWidth: globals.maxControlsWidth
+        }}
+        data-testclass="category"
+        data-testid={`category-${metadataField}`}
+      >
+        <div
+          style={{
+            display: "flex",
+            justifyContent: "space-between",
+            alignItems: "baseline"
+          }}
+        >
+          {children}
+        </div>
+        <div style={{ marginLeft: 26 }}>
+          <Flipper spring="veryGentle" flipKey={optTuplesAsKey}>
+            {isExpanded ? this.renderCategoryItems(optTuples) : null}
+          </Flipper>
+        </div>
+        <div>
+          {isExpanded && isTruncated ? (
+            <p style={{ paddingLeft: 15 }}>... truncated list ...</p>
+          ) : null}
+        </div>
+      </div>
+    );
+  }
+}
+
+export default Category;
diff --git a/client/src/components/categorical/ontologySelect.js b/client/src/components/categorical/ontologySelect.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..7e82615a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/client/src/components/categorical/ontologySelect.js
@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
+import React from "react";
+import { connect } from "react-redux";
+import { Button, MenuItem } from "@blueprintjs/core";
+import { Select } from "@blueprintjs/select";
+import fuzzysort from "fuzzysort";
+
+const filterOntology = (query, ontology) =>
+  /* fires on load, once, and then for each character typed into the input */
+  fuzzysort.go(query, ontology, {
+    limit: 100,
+    threshold: -10000 // don't return bad results
+  });
+
+@connect()
+class ChooseOntologySelect extends React.Component {
+  constructor(props) {
+    super(props);
+    this.state = {};
+  }
+
+  render() {
+    const {
+      ontology,
+      categoryToDuplicate,
+      handleChooseOntologyTermFromDropdown
+    } = this.props;
+    return (
+      <div>
+        <Select
+          items={
+            ontology?.terms ||
+            [] /* this is a placeholder, could be  a subcomponent to avoid this */
+          }
+          filterable
+          itemListPredicate={filterOntology}
+          itemRenderer={(d, { handleClick }) => {
+            return (
+              <MenuItem onClick={handleClick} key={d.target} text={d.target} />
+            );
+          }}
+          noResults={<MenuItem disabled text="No results." />}
+          onItemSelect={d => {
+            handleChooseOntologyTermFromDropdown(d);
+          }}
+        >
+          {/* children become the popover target; render value here */}
+          <Button
+            text={categoryToDuplicate || "Choose an Ontology Term"}
+            rightIcon="double-caret-vertical"
+          />
+        </Select>
+      </div>
+    );
+  }
+}
+
+export default ChooseOntologySelect;
diff --git a/client/src/reducers/annotations.js b/client/src/reducers/annotations.js
index 82955260..8db16997 100644
--- a/client/src/reducers/annotations.js
+++ b/client/src/reducers/annotations.js
@@ -61,17 +61,33 @@ const Annotations = (
         isAddingNewLabel: true,
         categoryAddingNewLabel: action.data
       };
+    case "annotation: activate add new ontology label mode":
+      return {
+        ...state,
+        isAddingNewLabelFromOntology: true,
+        categoryAddingNewLabelFromOntology: action.data
+      };
+    case "annotation: disable add new ontology label mode":
+      return {
+        ...state,
+        isAddingNewLabelFromOntology: false,
+        categoryAddingNewLabelFromOntology: null
+      };
+
     case "annotation: disable add new label mode":
       return {
         ...state,
         isAddingNewLabel: false,
         categoryAddingNewLabel: null
       };
+    /* this handles both cases, since at this point it's just a string */
     case "annotation: add new label to category":
       return {
         ...state,
         isAddingNewLabel: false,
-        categoryAddingNewLabel: null
+        categoryAddingNewLabel: null,
+        isAddingNewLabelFromOntology: false,
+        categoryAddingNewLabelFromOntology: null
       };
     case "annotation: activate category edit mode":
       return {