diff --git a/src/calibre/db/categories.py b/src/calibre/db/categories.py
index 685f303832..b9de1316f9 100644
--- a/src/calibre/db/categories.py
+++ b/src/calibre/db/categories.py
@@ -115,13 +115,22 @@ def clean_user_categories(dbcache):
     return new_cats
 
 
+numeric_collation = tweaks['numeric_collation']
+def first_digit(x):
+    global numeric_collation
+    c = icu_upper(x.sort or x.name or ' ')[0]
+    # The idea is that '9999999999' is larger than any digit so all digits
+    # will sort in front. Non-digits will sort according to their ICU first letter
+    return c if numeric_collation and c.isdigit() else '9999999999'
+
+
 category_sort_keys = {True:{}, False: {}}
 category_sort_keys[True]['popularity'] = category_sort_keys[False]['popularity'] = \
     lambda x:(-getattr(x, 'count', 0), sort_key(x.sort or x.name))
 category_sort_keys[True]['rating'] = category_sort_keys[False]['rating'] = \
     lambda x:(-getattr(x, 'avg_rating', 0.0), sort_key(x.sort or x.name))
 category_sort_keys[True]['name'] = \
-    lambda x:(collation_order(icu_upper(x.sort or x.name or ' ')), sort_key(x.sort or x.name))
+    lambda x:(first_digit(x), collation_order(icu_upper(x.sort or x.name or ' ')), sort_key(x.sort or x.name))
 category_sort_keys[False]['name'] = \
     lambda x:sort_key(x.sort or x.name)
 
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/tag_browser/model.py b/src/calibre/gui2/tag_browser/model.py
index 210331f707..99ee9af50e 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/tag_browser/model.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/tag_browser/model.py
@@ -24,8 +24,8 @@ from calibre.library.field_metadata import category_icon_map
 from calibre.utils.config import prefs, tweaks
 from calibre.utils.formatter import EvalFormatter
 from calibre.utils.icu import (
-    collation_order, contains, lower, primary_contains, primary_strcmp, sort_key,
-    strcmp
+    contains, lower, primary_contains, primary_strcmp, sort_key,
+    strcmp, collation_order_for_partitioning
 )
 from calibre.utils.serialize import json_dumps, json_loads
 from polyglot.builtins import iteritems, itervalues
@@ -556,7 +556,7 @@ class TagsModel(QAbstractItemModel):  # {{{
                     # Deal with items that don't have sorts, such as formats
                     t = tag.sort if tag.sort else tag.name
                     c = icu_upper(t) if t else ' '
-                    ordnum, ordlen = collation_order(c)
+                    ordnum, ordlen = collation_order_for_partitioning(c)
                     if last_ordnum != ordnum:
                         if fl_collapse and idx > 0:
                             intervals.append(FL_Interval(last_c, last_c, idx-last_idx))
diff --git a/src/calibre/srv/metadata.py b/src/calibre/srv/metadata.py
index 51e72b54c1..1487759110 100644
--- a/src/calibre/srv/metadata.py
+++ b/src/calibre/srv/metadata.py
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ from calibre.utils.date import isoformat, UNDEFINED_DATE, local_tz
 from calibre.utils.config import tweaks
 from calibre.utils.formatter import EvalFormatter
 from calibre.utils.file_type_icons import EXT_MAP
-from calibre.utils.icu import collation_order
+from calibre.utils.icu import collation_order_for_partitioning
 from calibre.utils.localization import calibre_langcode_to_name
 from calibre.library.comments import comments_to_html, markdown
 from calibre.library.field_metadata import category_icon_map
@@ -291,7 +291,7 @@ def build_first_letter_list(category_items):
             c = ' '
         else:
             c = icu_upper(tag.sort)
-        ordnum, ordlen = collation_order(c)
+        ordnum, ordlen = collation_order_for_partitioning(c)
         if last_ordnum != ordnum:
             last_c = c[0:ordlen]
             last_ordnum = ordnum