diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index d1a3cd77a5..dc3c20dd5e 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -243,9 +243,6 @@ endif
 # Needed by "meson install"
 export DESTDIR
 install: all install-datadir install-localstatedir
-	mkdir -p "$(DESTDIR)$(qemu_desktopdir)"
-	$(INSTALL_DATA) $(SRC_PATH)/ui/qemu.desktop \
-		"$(DESTDIR)$(qemu_desktopdir)/qemu.desktop"
 	$(INSTALL_DIR) "$(DESTDIR)$(qemu_datadir)/keymaps"
 
 ifdef CONFIG_WIN32
diff --git a/ui/meson.build b/ui/meson.build
index dddffc9a7a..aa8aa31516 100644
--- a/ui/meson.build
+++ b/ui/meson.build
@@ -114,4 +114,6 @@ endif
 subdir('shader')
 subdir('icons')
 
+install_data('qemu.desktop', install_dir: config_host['qemu_desktopdir'])
+
 modules += {'ui': ui_modules}