diff --git a/autotests/applicationlauncherjobtest.h b/autotests/applicationlauncherjobtest.h
--- a/autotests/applicationlauncherjobtest.h
+++ b/autotests/applicationlauncherjobtest.h
@@ -41,6 +41,8 @@
     void shouldFailOnNonExistingExecutable_data();
     void shouldFailOnNonExistingExecutable();
 
+    void shouldFailOnInvalidService();
+
 private:
     QString createTempService();
     void writeTempServiceDesktopFile(const QString &filePath);
diff --git a/autotests/applicationlauncherjobtest.cpp b/autotests/applicationlauncherjobtest.cpp
--- a/autotests/applicationlauncherjobtest.cpp
+++ b/autotests/applicationlauncherjobtest.cpp
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@
 #include <signal.h> // kill
 #endif
 
+#include <QRegularExpression>
 #include <QStandardPaths>
 #include <QTemporaryDir>
 #include <QTest>
@@ -186,6 +187,26 @@
     QFile::remove(desktopFilePath);
 }
 
+void ApplicationLauncherJobTest::shouldFailOnInvalidService()
+{
+    const QString desktopFilePath = QStandardPaths::writableLocation(QStandardPaths::GenericDataLocation) + QLatin1String("/kservices5/invalid_service.desktop");
+    KDesktopFile file(desktopFilePath);
+    KConfigGroup group = file.desktopGroup();
+    group.writeEntry("Name", "KRunUnittestService");
+    group.writeEntry("Type", "NoSuchType");
+    group.writeEntry("Exec", "does_not_exist");
+    file.sync();
+
+    QTest::ignoreMessage(QtWarningMsg, QRegularExpression("The desktop entry file \".*\" has Type.*\"NoSuchType\" instead of \"Application\" or \"Service\""));
+    KService::Ptr servicePtr(new KService(desktopFilePath));
+    KIO::ApplicationLauncherJob *job = new KIO::ApplicationLauncherJob(servicePtr, this);
+    QVERIFY(!job->exec());
+    QCOMPARE(job->error(), KJob::UserDefinedError);
+    QCOMPARE(job->errorString(), QStringLiteral("The desktop entry file\n%1\nis not valid.").arg(desktopFilePath));
+
+    QFile::remove(desktopFilePath);
+}
+
 void ApplicationLauncherJobTest::writeTempServiceDesktopFile(const QString &filePath)
 {
     if (!QFile::exists(filePath)) {
diff --git a/src/gui/kprocessrunner.cpp b/src/gui/kprocessrunner.cpp
--- a/src/gui/kprocessrunner.cpp
+++ b/src/gui/kprocessrunner.cpp
@@ -50,6 +50,11 @@
       m_executable(KIO::DesktopExecParser::executablePath(service->exec()))
 {
     ++s_instanceCount;
+
+    if (!service->isValid()) {
+        emitDelayedError(i18n("The desktop entry file\n%1\nis not valid.", service->entryPath()));
+        return;
+    }
     KIO::DesktopExecParser execParser(*service, urls);
 
     const QString realExecutable = execParser.resultingArguments().at(0);
@@ -134,7 +139,7 @@
 {
     if (service && !service->entryPath().isEmpty()
             && !KDesktopFile::isAuthorizedDesktopFile(service->entryPath())) {
-        qCWarning(KIO_GUI) << "No authorization to execute " << service->entryPath();
+        qCWarning(KIO_GUI) << "No authorization to execute" << service->entryPath();
         emitDelayedError(i18n("You are not authorized to execute this file."));
         return;
     }
diff --git a/src/widgets/kdesktopfileactions.cpp b/src/widgets/kdesktopfileactions.cpp
--- a/src/widgets/kdesktopfileactions.cpp
+++ b/src/widgets/kdesktopfileactions.cpp
@@ -54,7 +54,6 @@
 enum BuiltinServiceType { ST_MOUNT = 0x0E1B05B0, ST_UNMOUNT = 0x0E1B05B1 }; // random numbers
 
 static bool runFSDevice(const QUrl &_url, const KDesktopFile &cfg, const QByteArray &asn);
-static bool runApplication(const QUrl &_url, const QString &_serviceFile, const QByteArray &asn);
 static bool runLink(const QUrl &_url, const KDesktopFile &cfg, const QByteArray &asn);
 
 
@@ -91,7 +90,8 @@
         return runFSDevice(u, cfg, asn);
     } else if (cfg.hasApplicationType()
                || (cfg.readType() == QLatin1String("Service") && !cfg.desktopGroup().readEntry("Exec").isEmpty())) { // for kio_settings
-        return runApplication(u, u.toLocalFile(), asn);
+        KService service(u.toLocalFile());
+        return KRun::runApplication(service, QList<QUrl>(), nullptr /*TODO - window*/, KRun::RunFlags{}, QString(), asn);
     } else if (cfg.hasLinkType()) {
         return runLink(u, cfg, asn);
     }
@@ -137,19 +137,6 @@
     return retval;
 }
 
-static bool runApplication(const QUrl &_url, const QString &_serviceFile, const QByteArray &asn)
-{
-    KService s(_serviceFile);
-    if (!s.isValid())
-    {
-        QString tmp = i18n("The desktop entry file\n%1\nis not valid.", _url.toString());
-        KMessageBox::error(nullptr, tmp);
-        return false;
-    }
-
-    return KRun::runApplication(s, QList<QUrl>(), nullptr /*TODO - window*/, KRun::RunFlags{}, QString(), asn);
-}
-
 static bool runLink(const QUrl &_url, const KDesktopFile &cfg, const QByteArray &asn)
 {
     QString u = cfg.readUrl();