diff --git a/pandas/core/arrays/categorical.py b/pandas/core/arrays/categorical.py
index b50ddd42997cb..0d228582992d2 100644
--- a/pandas/core/arrays/categorical.py
+++ b/pandas/core/arrays/categorical.py
@@ -1588,7 +1588,7 @@ def _validate_scalar(self, fill_value):
             raise TypeError(
                 "Cannot setitem on a Categorical with a new "
                 f"category ({fill_value}), set the categories first"
-            )
+            ) from None
         return fill_value
 
     # -------------------------------------------------------------