diff --git a/installer/data/mysql/atomicupdate/bug_42112.pl b/installer/data/mysql/atomicupdate/bug_42112.pl
new file mode 100755
index 0000000000..584feb2930
--- /dev/null
+++ b/installer/data/mysql/atomicupdate/bug_42112.pl
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+use Modern::Perl;
+use Koha::Installer::Output qw(say_warning say_success say_info);
+
+return {
+    bug_number  => "42112",
+    description => "Add UpdateExpiryDateOnCategoryChange and UpdateMessagingPrefsOnCategoryChange",
+    up          => sub {
+        my ($args) = @_;
+        my ( $dbh, $out ) = @$args{qw(dbh out)};
+
+        $dbh->do(
+            q{
+            INSERT IGNORE INTO systempreferences (`variable`,`value`)
+            VALUES ('UpdateExpiryDateOnCategoryChange', 'softyes')
+        }
+        );
+        $dbh->do(
+            q{
+            INSERT IGNORE INTO systempreferences (`variable`,`value`)
+            VALUES ('UpdateMessagingPrefsOnCategoryChange', 'softyes')
+        }
+        );
+
+        say_success( $out, "System preference UpdateExpiryDateOnCategoryChange added." );
+        say_success( $out, "System preference UpdateMessagingPrefsOnCategoryChange added." );
+    },
+};
diff --git a/installer/data/mysql/mandatory/sysprefs.sql b/installer/data/mysql/mandatory/sysprefs.sql
index 671dd1898b..a825996c88 100644
--- a/installer/data/mysql/mandatory/sysprefs.sql
+++ b/installer/data/mysql/mandatory/sysprefs.sql
@@ -868,11 +868,13 @@ INSERT INTO systempreferences ( `variable`, `value` ) VALUES
 ('UniqueItemFields','barcode'),
 ('UnseenRenewals','0'),
 ('UnsubscribeReflectionDelay',''),
+('UpdateExpiryDateOnCategoryChange', 'softyes'),
 ('UpdateItemLocationOnCheckin', ''),
 ('UpdateItemLocationOnCheckout', ''),
 ('UpdateItemLostStatusWhenPaid', '0'),
 ('UpdateItemLostStatusWhenWriteoff', '0'),
 ('UpdateItemWhenLostFromHoldList',''),
+('UpdateMessagingPrefsOnCategoryChange','softyes'),
 ('UpdateNotForLoanStatusOnCheckin', ''),
 ('UpdateNotForLoanStatusOnCheckout', ''),
 ('UpdateTotalIssuesOnCirc','0'),
diff --git a/koha-tmpl/intranet-tmpl/prog/en/modules/admin/preferences/patrons.pref b/koha-tmpl/intranet-tmpl/prog/en/modules/admin/preferences/patrons.pref
index e7fdda20a0..43a705700f 100644
--- a/koha-tmpl/intranet-tmpl/prog/en/modules/admin/preferences/patrons.pref
+++ b/koha-tmpl/intranet-tmpl/prog/en/modules/admin/preferences/patrons.pref
@@ -99,6 +99,22 @@ Patrons:
                1: Do
                0: "Don't"
          - charge a fee when a patron changes to a category with an enrollment fee.
+     -
+         - pref: UpdateExpiryDateOnCategoryChange
+           choices:
+               yes: "Always update without asking"
+               softyes: "Ask before updating, default to yes"
+               softno: "Ask before updating, default to no"
+               no: "Never update"
+         -  the date expiry when changing an existing patron to a new category.
+     -
+         - pref: UpdateMessagingPrefsOnCategoryChange
+           choices:
+               yes: "Always update without asking"
+               softyes: "Ask before updating, default to yes"
+               softno: "Ask before updating, default to no"
+               no: "Never update"
+         -  messaging preferences when changing an existing patron to a new category.
      -
          - Select which patron activities should be tracked to signify patron activity. Each time that one of these activities occurs, borrowers.lastseen will update with the current date and time.
          - pref: TrackLastPatronActivityTriggers
diff --git a/koha-tmpl/intranet-tmpl/prog/en/modules/members/memberentrygen.tt b/koha-tmpl/intranet-tmpl/prog/en/modules/members/memberentrygen.tt
index e6c055a81d..d103c29a4e 100644
--- a/koha-tmpl/intranet-tmpl/prog/en/modules/members/memberentrygen.tt
+++ b/koha-tmpl/intranet-tmpl/prog/en/modules/members/memberentrygen.tt
@@ -1598,7 +1598,6 @@
 </div>
 <!-- /.main.container-fluid -->
 
-<!-- Expiration date modal-->
 <div id="categoryChangeModal" class="modal" tabindex="-1" role="dialog" aria-labelledby="categoryChangeModalLabel" aria-hidden="true">
     <div class="modal-dialog">
         <div class="modal-content">
@@ -1608,14 +1607,30 @@
             </div>
             <div class="modal-body">
                 <p>Would you like to apply the defaults for the new category?</p>
-                <div class="form-check">
-                    <input type="checkbox" id="categoryChangeUpdateMessaging" />
-                    <label class="form-check-label" for="categoryChangeUpdateMessaging"> Reset messaging preferences to category defaults </label>
-                </div>
-                <div class="form-check">
-                    <input type="checkbox" id="categoryChangeUpdateExpiry" />
-                    <label class="form-check-label" for="categoryChangeUpdateExpiry"> Reset expiration date to category default </label>
-                </div>
+                [% IF Koha.Preference('UpdateMessagingPrefsOnCategoryChange') == 'softyes' %]
+                    <div class="form-check">
+                        <input type="checkbox" id="categoryChangeUpdateMessaging" checked />
+                        <label class="form-check-label" for="categoryChangeUpdateMessaging"> Reset messaging preferences to category defaults </label>
+                    </div>
+                [% ELSIF Koha.Preference('UpdateMessagingPrefsOnCategoryChange') == 'softno' %]
+                    <div class="form-check">
+                        <input type="checkbox" id="categoryChangeUpdateMessaging" />
+                        <label class="form-check-label" for="categoryChangeUpdateMessaging"> Reset messaging preferences to category defaults </label>
+                    </div>
+                [% END %]
+                [% IF Koha.Preference('UpdateExpiryDateOnCategoryChange') == 'softno' || Koha.Preference('UpdateExpiryDateOnCategoryChange') == 'softyes' %]
+                    [% IF Koha.Preference('UpdateExpiryDateOnCategoryChange') == 'softyes' %]
+                        <div class="form-check">
+                            <input type="checkbox" id="categoryChangeUpdateExpiry" checked />
+                            <label class="form-check-label" for="categoryChangeUpdateExpiry"> Reset expiration date to category default </label>
+                        </div>
+                    [% ELSIF Koha.Preference('UpdateExpiryDateOnCategoryChange') == 'softno' %]
+                        <div class="form-check">
+                            <input type="checkbox" id="categoryChangeUpdateExpiry" />
+                            <label class="form-check-label" for="categoryChangeUpdateExpiry"> Reset expiration date to category default </label>
+                        </div>
+                    [% END %]
+                [% END %]
             </div>
             <div class="modal-footer">
                 <button id="categoryChangeConfirmBtn" class="btn btn-primary"><i class="fa fa-check" aria-hidden="true"></i> Confirm</button>
@@ -1920,6 +1935,9 @@
 
         var TalkingTechItivaPhoneNotification = [% Koha.Preference('TalkingTechItivaPhoneNotification') || 0 | html %];
         var PhoneNotification = [% Koha.Preference('PhoneNotification') || 0 | html %];
+
+        var UpdateExpiryDateOnCategoryChange =  "[% Koha.Preference('UpdateExpiryDateOnCategoryChange') | html %]";
+        var UpdateMessagingPrefsOnCategoryChange =  "[% Koha.Preference('UpdateMessagingPrefsOnCategoryChange') | html %]";
     </script>
     [% Asset.js("js/messaging-preference-form.js") | $raw %]
     [% Asset.js("js/members.js") | $raw %]
diff --git a/koha-tmpl/intranet-tmpl/prog/js/messaging-preference-form.js b/koha-tmpl/intranet-tmpl/prog/js/messaging-preference-form.js
index 8b1c4b46fe..91cd39536b 100644
--- a/koha-tmpl/intranet-tmpl/prog/js/messaging-preference-form.js
+++ b/koha-tmpl/intranet-tmpl/prog/js/messaging-preference-form.js
@@ -7,16 +7,83 @@ $(document).ready(function () {
     if (window.location.href.indexOf("op=add") === -1) {
         message_prefs_dirty = true;
     }
-
     $("#categorycode_entry").change(function () {
         var categorycode = $(this).val();
         // if we change category, consider the messaging prefs dirty
         message_prefs_dirty = true;
         // Show the combined modal and reset checkboxes to checked
-        $("#categoryChangeUpdateMessaging").prop("checked", true);
-        $("#categoryChangeUpdateExpiry").prop("checked", true);
-        $("#categoryChangeModal").modal("show");
+        if (UpdateExpiryDateOnCategoryChange == "softyes") {
+            $("#categoryChangeUpdateExpiry").prop("checked", true);
+        } else if (UpdateExpiryDateOnCategoryChange == "softno") {
+            $("#categoryChangeUpdateExpiry").prop("checked", false);
+        }
 
+        if (UpdateMessagingPrefsOnCategoryChange == "softyes") {
+            $("#categoryChangeUpdateMessaging").prop("checked", true);
+        } else if (UpdateMessagingPrefsOnCategoryChange == "softno") {
+            $("#categoryChangeUpdateMessaging").prop("checked", false);
+        }
+
+        if (UpdateExpiryDateOnCategoryChange === "yes") {
+            // Just do it, no need to ask
+            var fp = $("#to").flatpickr();
+            var expiryDate = $(
+                "select" + category_selector + " option:selected"
+            ).data("expiryDate");
+            if (expiryDate) {
+                fp.setDate(expiryDate.split("T")[0]);
+            }
+        }
+
+        if (UpdateMessagingPrefsOnCategoryChange === "yes") {
+            // Just do it, no need to ask
+            var messaging_prefs_loading = $("#messaging_prefs_loading");
+            messaging_prefs_loading.show();
+
+            $.getJSON(
+                "/cgi-bin/koha/members/default_messageprefs.pl?categorycode=" +
+                    categorycode,
+                function (data) {
+                    $.each(data.messaging_preferences, function (i, item) {
+                        var attrid = item.message_attribute_id;
+                        var transports = ["email", "rss", "sms"];
+                        $.each(transports, function (j, transport) {
+                            var checked = item["transports_" + transport] == 1;
+                            $("#" + transport + attrid).prop(
+                                "checked",
+                                checked
+                            );
+                            toggle_digest(attrid);
+                        });
+
+                        if (item.digest && item.digest != " ") {
+                            $("#digest" + attrid).prop("checked", true);
+                        } else {
+                            $("#digest" + attrid).prop("checked", false);
+                        }
+                        if (item.takes_days == "1") {
+                            $("[name=" + attrid + "-DAYS]").val(
+                                "" + item.days_in_advance
+                            );
+                        }
+                    });
+                    message_prefs_dirty = false;
+                }
+            ).always(function () {
+                messaging_prefs_loading.hide();
+            });
+        }
+
+        var softUpdate =
+            UpdateMessagingPrefsOnCategoryChange === "softyes" ||
+            UpdateMessagingPrefsOnCategoryChange === "softno" ||
+            UpdateExpiryDateOnCategoryChange === "softyes" ||
+            UpdateExpiryDateOnCategoryChange === "softno";
+
+        // if softUpdate we should ask for confirmation in the modal, show it
+        if (softUpdate) {
+            $("#categoryChangeModal").modal("show");
+        }
         // Remove any previously bound confirm handler to avoid stacking
         $("#categoryChangeConfirmBtn")
             .off("click")
@@ -76,7 +143,10 @@ $(document).ready(function () {
                 }
 
                 // --- Update expiry date ---
-                if ($("#categoryChangeUpdateExpiry").prop("checked")) {
+                if (
+                    UpdateExpiryDateOnCategoryChange !== "yes" &&
+                    $("#categoryChangeUpdateExpiry").prop("checked")
+                ) {
                     var fp = $("#to").flatpickr();
                     var expiryDate = $(
                         "select" + category_selector + " option:selected"