diff --git a/config.js b/config.js
index ecbe5dc..abbc2bf 100644
--- a/config.js
+++ b/config.js
@@ -65,9 +65,7 @@ const CONFIG = {
   GAME_LIST: process.env.GAME_LIST || '',
   DISCORD_THREAD_CHANNEL_ID: process.env.DISCORD_THREAD_CHANNEL_ID || null,
   EMAIL_THREAD_CHANNEL_ID: process.env.EMAIL_THREAD_CHANNEL_ID || null,
-  EMAIL_ESCALATED_CATEGORY_ID: process.env.EMAIL_ESCALATED_CATEGORY_ID || process.env.ESCALATED_CATEGORY_ID,
-  DISCORD_ESCALATED_CATEGORY_ID: process.env.DISCORD_ESCALATED_CATEGORY_ID,
-  // Tier 2/3 email escalation: category IDs where ticket channels are placed (env uses *_CHANNEL_* for legacy naming).
+  // Tier 2/3 escalation: category IDs where ticket channels are placed (env uses *_CHANNEL_* for legacy naming).
   EMAIL_ESCALATED2_CHANNEL_ID: process.env.EMAIL_ESCALATED2_CHANNEL_ID || null,
   DISCORD_ESCALATED2_CHANNEL_ID: process.env.DISCORD_ESCALATED2_CHANNEL_ID || null,
   EMAIL_ESCALATED3_CHANNEL_ID: process.env.EMAIL_ESCALATED3_CHANNEL_ID || null,
diff --git a/handlers/buttons.js b/handlers/buttons.js
index 0523d9e..7d2ebdc 100644
--- a/handlers/buttons.js
+++ b/handlers/buttons.js
@@ -196,8 +196,8 @@ async function handleButton(interaction) {
       return interaction.reply({ content: 'This ticket is already at tier 2.', ephemeral: true });
     }
     const categoryId = ticket.gmailThreadId.startsWith('discord-')
-      ? (CONFIG.DISCORD_ESCALATED2_CHANNEL_ID || CONFIG.DISCORD_ESCALATED_CATEGORY_ID)
-      : (CONFIG.EMAIL_ESCALATED2_CHANNEL_ID || CONFIG.EMAIL_ESCALATED_CATEGORY_ID);
+      ? CONFIG.DISCORD_ESCALATED2_CHANNEL_ID
+      : CONFIG.EMAIL_ESCALATED2_CHANNEL_ID;
     if (!categoryId && !interaction.channel.isThread()) {
       return interaction.reply({ content: 'Tier 2 (ESCALATED2) is not configured for this ticket type.', ephemeral: true });
     }
diff --git a/handlers/commands.js b/handlers/commands.js
index b66ed0d..94f2edb 100644
--- a/handlers/commands.js
+++ b/handlers/commands.js
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ async function requireStaffRole(interaction) {
 async function runEscalation(interaction, ticket, nextTier, reason) {
   const isDiscordTicket = ticket.gmailThreadId.startsWith('discord-');
   const categoryId = nextTier === 1
-    ? (isDiscordTicket ? (CONFIG.DISCORD_ESCALATED2_CHANNEL_ID || CONFIG.DISCORD_ESCALATED_CATEGORY_ID) : (CONFIG.EMAIL_ESCALATED2_CHANNEL_ID || CONFIG.EMAIL_ESCALATED_CATEGORY_ID))
+    ? (isDiscordTicket ? CONFIG.DISCORD_ESCALATED2_CHANNEL_ID : CONFIG.EMAIL_ESCALATED2_CHANNEL_ID)
     : (isDiscordTicket ? CONFIG.DISCORD_ESCALATED3_CHANNEL_ID : CONFIG.EMAIL_ESCALATED3_CHANNEL_ID);
 
   // Clear claim on escalation
@@ -224,8 +224,8 @@ async function runDeescalation(interaction, ticket) {
         if (homeCategory) await enqueueMove(interaction.channel, homeCategory);
       } else if (newTier === 1) {
         const t2Category = isDiscordTicket
-          ? (CONFIG.DISCORD_ESCALATED2_CHANNEL_ID || CONFIG.DISCORD_ESCALATED_CATEGORY_ID)
-          : (CONFIG.EMAIL_ESCALATED2_CHANNEL_ID || CONFIG.EMAIL_ESCALATED_CATEGORY_ID);
+          ? CONFIG.DISCORD_ESCALATED2_CHANNEL_ID
+          : CONFIG.EMAIL_ESCALATED2_CHANNEL_ID;
         if (t2Category) await enqueueMove(interaction.channel, t2Category);
       }
     } catch (e) {
@@ -312,7 +312,7 @@ async function handleCommand(interaction) {
 
     const isDiscordTicket = ticket.gmailThreadId.startsWith('discord-');
     const categoryId = nextTier === 1
-      ? (isDiscordTicket ? (CONFIG.DISCORD_ESCALATED2_CHANNEL_ID || CONFIG.DISCORD_ESCALATED_CATEGORY_ID) : (CONFIG.EMAIL_ESCALATED2_CHANNEL_ID || CONFIG.EMAIL_ESCALATED_CATEGORY_ID))
+      ? (isDiscordTicket ? CONFIG.DISCORD_ESCALATED2_CHANNEL_ID : CONFIG.EMAIL_ESCALATED2_CHANNEL_ID)
       : (isDiscordTicket ? CONFIG.DISCORD_ESCALATED3_CHANNEL_ID : CONFIG.EMAIL_ESCALATED3_CHANNEL_ID);
     const configKey = nextTier === 1 ? 'ESCALATED2' : 'ESCALATED3';
     if (!categoryId && !interaction.channel.isThread()) {
diff --git a/settings-site/public/index.html b/settings-site/public/index.html
index 280699c..7fac01f 100644
--- a/settings-site/public/index.html
+++ b/settings-site/public/index.html
@@ -85,8 +85,6 @@
       <div class="section-body"><div class="field-grid">
         <div class="field"><label>Email Ticket Category</label><input type="text" data-key="TICKET_CATEGORY_ID" data-smart="category"></div>
         <div class="field"><label>Discord Ticket Category</label><input type="text" data-key="DISCORD_TICKET_CATEGORY_ID" data-smart="category"></div>
-        <div class="field"><label>Email Escalation Category</label><input type="text" data-key="EMAIL_ESCALATED_CATEGORY_ID" data-smart="category"></div>
-        <div class="field"><label>Discord Escalation Category</label><input type="text" data-key="DISCORD_ESCALATED_CATEGORY_ID" data-smart="category"></div>
         <div class="field"><label>Email T2 Category</label><input type="text" data-key="EMAIL_ESCALATED2_CHANNEL_ID" data-smart="category"></div>
         <div class="field"><label>Discord T2 Category</label><input type="text" data-key="DISCORD_ESCALATED2_CHANNEL_ID" data-smart="category"></div>
         <div class="field"><label>Email T3 Category</label><input type="text" data-key="EMAIL_ESCALATED3_CHANNEL_ID" data-smart="category"></div>