This species was lumped with the Broad-billed Fairywren (Malurus grayi) following Beehler et al. (1986), Coates (1990) and Vuilleumier et al. (1992).
A 2011 analysis by Amy Driskell and colleagues of mitochondrial and nuclear DNA found the Broad-billed Fairywren and Campbell's Fairywren to lie in a clade with the two other monospecific New Guinea genera and not with the other species of Malurus.
However, genetic evidence shows it is most closely related to the Superb and Splendid Fairywren within the genus Malurus.