Palladium catalysts employed in the hydrogenation of reducible cyclic organic compounds containing deleterious nitrogen impurities are reactivated according to a process comprising separating spent catalyst from the hydrogenation reaction mixture; contacting the separated spent catalyst in a liquid reaction medium with a reactivating agent selected from the group consisting of alkali metal and alkaline earth metal bicarbonates, carbonates, nitrates, chlorides, fluorides, hydroxides and mixtures thereof, to reactivate the catalyst; and recovering the reactivated catalyst for recycle to the hydrogenation reaction mixture.