diff --git a/app/TransactionRules/Actions/SetBudget.php b/app/TransactionRules/Actions/SetBudget.php
index ed48a2cea5..1dbdc54c18 100644
--- a/app/TransactionRules/Actions/SetBudget.php
+++ b/app/TransactionRules/Actions/SetBudget.php
@@ -83,6 +83,17 @@ class SetBudget implements ActionInterface
             return false;
         }
 
+        // find previous budget
+        /** @var TransactionJournal $object */
+        $object        = $user->transactionJournals()->find($journal['transaction_journal_id']);
+        $oldBudget     = $object->budgets()->first();
+        $oldBudgetName = $oldBudget?->name;
+        if ((int)$oldBudget?->id === (int)$budget->id) {
+            event(new RuleActionFailedOnArray($this->action, $journal, trans('rules.already_linked_to_budget', ['name' => $budget->name])));
+            return false;
+        }
+
+
         Log::debug(
             sprintf('RuleAction SetBudget set the budget of journal #%d to budget #%d ("%s").', $journal['transaction_journal_id'], $budget->id, $budget->name)
         );
@@ -92,7 +103,7 @@ class SetBudget implements ActionInterface
 
         /** @var TransactionJournal $object */
         $object = TransactionJournal::where('user_id', $journal['user_id'])->find($journal['transaction_journal_id']);
-        event(new TriggeredAuditLog($this->action->rule, $object, 'set_budget', null, $budget->name));
+        event(new TriggeredAuditLog($this->action->rule, $object, 'set_budget', $oldBudgetName, $budget->name));
 
         return true;
     }
diff --git a/app/TransactionRules/Actions/SetCategory.php b/app/TransactionRules/Actions/SetCategory.php
index 1277d1e2ce..30608a3f11 100644
--- a/app/TransactionRules/Actions/SetCategory.php
+++ b/app/TransactionRules/Actions/SetCategory.php
@@ -87,12 +87,22 @@ class SetCategory implements ActionInterface
             )
         );
 
+        // find previous category
+        /** @var TransactionJournal $object */
+        $object          = $user->transactionJournals()->find($journal['transaction_journal_id']);
+        $oldCategory     = $object->categories()->first();
+        $oldCategoryName = $oldCategory?->name;
+        if ((int)$oldCategory?->id === (int)$category->id) {
+            event(new RuleActionFailedOnArray($this->action, $journal, trans('rules.already_linked_to_category', ['name' => $category->name])));
+            return false;
+        }
+
         DB::table('category_transaction_journal')->where('transaction_journal_id', '=', $journal['transaction_journal_id'])->delete();
         DB::table('category_transaction_journal')->insert(['transaction_journal_id' => $journal['transaction_journal_id'], 'category_id' => $category->id]);
 
         /** @var TransactionJournal $object */
         $object = TransactionJournal::where('user_id', $journal['user_id'])->find($journal['transaction_journal_id']);
-        event(new TriggeredAuditLog($this->action->rule, $object, 'set_category', null, $category->name));
+        event(new TriggeredAuditLog($this->action->rule, $object, 'set_category', $oldCategoryName, $category->name));
 
         return true;
     }
diff --git a/resources/lang/en_US/rules.php b/resources/lang/en_US/rules.php
index 8d034ab1f3..208a9267aa 100644
--- a/resources/lang/en_US/rules.php
+++ b/resources/lang/en_US/rules.php
@@ -50,6 +50,8 @@ return [
     'already_has_destination'                     => 'This transaction already has ":name" as the destination account',
     'already_has_source'                          => 'This transaction already has ":name" as the source account',
     'already_linked_to_subscription'              => 'The transaction is already linked to subscription ":name"',
+    'already_linked_to_category'                  => 'The transaction is already linked to category ":name"',
+    'already_linked_to_budget'                    => 'The transaction is already linked to budget ":name"',
     'cannot_find_subscription'                    => 'Firefly III can\'t find subscription ":name"',
     'no_notes_to_move'                            => 'The transaction has no notes to move to the description field',
     'no_tags_to_remove'                           => 'The transaction has no tags to remove',