diff --git a/Modules/about-distro/src/Module.cpp b/Modules/about-distro/src/Module.cpp
--- a/Modules/about-distro/src/Module.cpp
+++ b/Modules/about-distro/src/Module.cpp
@@ -21,7 +21,9 @@
 #include "Module.h"
 #include "ui_Module.h"
 
+#include <QFileInfo>
 #include <QIcon>
+#include <QProcess>
 #include <QStandardPaths>
 
 #include <kcoreaddons_version.h>
@@ -107,7 +109,7 @@
 
     // https://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=366158
     // When a KCM loads fast enough do a blocking load via the constructor.
-    // Otherwise there is a notciable rendering gap where dummy/no data is
+    // Otherwise there is a noticeable rendering gap where dummy/no data is
     // shown. Makes it look bad.
     load();
 }
@@ -171,7 +173,7 @@
     }
 
     // Since Plasma version detection isn't based on a library query it can fail
-    // in weird cases; instead of admiting defeat we simply hide everything :P
+    // in weird cases; instead of admitting defeat we simply hide everything :P
     QString plasma = plasmaVersion();
     if (plasma.isEmpty()) {
         ui->plasma->hide();
@@ -243,6 +245,35 @@
 
 QString Module::plasmaVersion() const
 {
+    // Try to get the version from `plasmashell --version` first, just in case the
+    // distro-provided .desktop file is wrong
+    // See https://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=377994
+    QString plasmashellPath = "/usr/bin/plasmashell";
+    QFileInfo checkFile(plasmashellPath);
+    if (checkFile.exists() && checkFile.isFile()) {
+        QProcess *process = new QProcess;
+        process->setProcessChannelMode(QProcess::MergedChannels);
+        QString command = plasmashellPath.append (QString(" --version"));
+        process->start(command);
+        if (process->waitForStarted()) {
+            process->waitForFinished();
+            if (process->exitCode() == 0) {
+                QByteArray data = process->readAll();
+                QString plasmaVersion = QString(data);
+                process->close();
+                if (! plasmaVersion.isEmpty()) {
+                    // Process the returned string to only be a numerical version
+                    if (plasmaVersion.startsWith("plasmashell ")) {
+                        plasmaVersion.remove(QString("plasmashell "));
+                        return plasmaVersion.simplified();
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    // The /usr/bin/plasmashell process didn't exist, exited nonzero,
+    // or produced odd output; fall back to the distro-provided .desktop file
     const QStringList &filePaths = QStandardPaths::locateAll(QStandardPaths::GenericDataLocation,
                                                              QStringLiteral("xsessions/plasma.desktop"));