diff --git a/shell/CMakeLists.txt b/shell/CMakeLists.txt
--- a/shell/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/shell/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -103,8 +103,14 @@
 endif()
 
 install(TARGETS plasmashell ${KDE_INSTALL_TARGETS_DEFAULT_ARGS})
-install(FILES org.kde.plasmashell.desktop DESTINATION ${KDE_INSTALL_APPDIR})
-install(FILES org.kde.plasmashell.desktop DESTINATION ${KDE_INSTALL_AUTOSTARTDIR})
+
+set(PLASMASHELL_DESKTOP_FILE_HIDDEN false)
+configure_file(org.kde.plasmashell.desktop.cmake ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/plasmashell_autostart.desktop)
+set(PLASMASHELL_DESKTOP_FILE_HIDDEN true)
+configure_file(org.kde.plasmashell.desktop.cmake ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/plasmashell_apps.desktop)
+
+install(FILES ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/plasmashell_apps.desktop DESTINATION ${KDE_INSTALL_APPDIR} RENAME org.kde.plasmashell.desktop)
+install(FILES ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/plasmashell_autostart.desktop DESTINATION ${KDE_INSTALL_AUTOSTARTDIR} RENAME org.kde.plasmashell.desktop)
 install( FILES dbus/org.kde.PlasmaShell.xml DESTINATION ${KDE_INSTALL_DBUSINTERFACEDIR} )
 
 install(FILES
diff --git a/shell/org.kde.plasmashell.desktop b/shell/org.kde.plasmashell.desktop.cmake
rename from shell/org.kde.plasmashell.desktop
rename to shell/org.kde.plasmashell.desktop.cmake
--- a/shell/org.kde.plasmashell.desktop
+++ b/shell/org.kde.plasmashell.desktop.cmake
@@ -55,4 +55,5 @@
 OnlyShowIn=KDE;
 X-KDE-autostart-phase=0
 Icon=plasma
+Hidden=${PLASMASHELL_DESKTOP_FILE_HIDDEN}