diff --git a/catalog/includes/functions/general.php b/catalog/includes/functions/general.php
index f0fc26aa2..a2e416c27 100644
--- a/catalog/includes/functions/general.php
+++ b/catalog/includes/functions/general.php
@@ -561,6 +561,36 @@ function tep_get_manufacturers($manufacturers_array = '') {
     return $manufacturers_array;
   }
 
+////
+// Returns the categories tree as array
+// TABLES: categories,categories_description;  
+ function tep_path_tree() {
+
+  $categories_query = tep_db_query("select c.categories_id,c.parent_id,cd.categories_name,c.categories_image from " . TABLE_CATEGORIES . " c, " . TABLE_CATEGORIES_DESCRIPTION . " cd  where c.categories_id = cd.categories_id and cd.language_id = '" . (int)$_SESSION['languages_id'] . "'");
+    
+  $refs = array();
+  $tree = array();
+    
+  while ($categories = tep_db_fetch_array($categories_query)) {
+    $arr_ref = & $refs[$categories['categories_id']];
+                
+    $arr_ref['id'] = $categories['categories_id'];
+    $arr_ref['parent_id'] = $categories['parent_id'];
+    $arr_ref['name'] = $categories['categories_name'];
+    $arr_ref['image'] = $categories['categories_image'];
+                
+  if ($categories['parent_id'] == 0) {           
+      //Root node
+      $tree[$categories['categories_id']] = & $arr_ref;
+  } else {
+      //Children node
+      $refs[$categories['parent_id']]['children'][$categories['categories_id']] = & $arr_ref;
+    }
+  }        
+     unset($arr_ref);
+     return $tree;
+  }
+
 ////
 // Return all subcategory IDs
 // TABLES: categories