Gold supported on cryptomelane-type OMS-2 catalysts deposited on AISI 304 stainless steels monoliths have been prepared for the first time, characterised and tested in the CO oxidation reaction. An easy and non-conventional method of incorporation of gold to the cryptomelane solid is used. This method allows the preparation of the monolithic catalysts without altering the structural and textural characteristics of the parent OMS-2 material. Although these catalysts do not show an optimal performance for the oxidation of CO, the presence of small gold particles enhances the catalytic performances of the cryptomelane producing promissory CO oxidation catalysts. The non-conventional gold deposition favours a partial loss of K+ into the channels, resulting in an increment of the average oxidation state of manganese which favours the catalytic behaviour of these kinds of materials. This study can be taken as a starting point to obtain very active gold catalysts supported on OMS-2 materials through the optimisation of the gold-support interaction and the decrease in the gold particle size. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.