diff --git a/src/bin/clapper-app/data/applications/com.github.rafostar.Clapper.desktop b/src/bin/clapper-app/data/applications/com.github.rafostar.Clapper.desktop.in
similarity index 100%
rename from src/bin/clapper-app/data/applications/com.github.rafostar.Clapper.desktop
rename to src/bin/clapper-app/data/applications/com.github.rafostar.Clapper.desktop.in
diff --git a/src/bin/clapper-app/data/meson.build b/src/bin/clapper-app/data/meson.build
index 2d8648f1a..bc71001c3 100644
--- a/src/bin/clapper-app/data/meson.build
+++ b/src/bin/clapper-app/data/meson.build
@@ -33,9 +33,18 @@ is_linux = ['linux'].contains(host_machine.system())
 is_windows = ['windows'].contains(host_machine.system())
 
 if is_linux
-  install_subdir('applications',
-    install_dir: join_paths(prefix, datadir)
+  desktop_file = i18n.merge_file(
+          input: 'applications/com.github.rafostar.Clapper.desktop.in',
+         output: 'com.github.rafostar.Clapper.desktop',
+           type: 'desktop',
+         po_dir: '../po',
+        install: true,
+    install_dir: join_paths(prefix, datadir, 'applications')
   )
+  desktop_utils = find_program('desktop-file-validate', required: false)
+  if desktop_utils.found()
+    test('Validate desktop file', desktop_utils, args: [desktop_file])
+  endif
   subdir('dbus-1')
 endif
 
diff --git a/src/bin/clapper-app/po/POTFILES b/src/bin/clapper-app/po/POTFILES
index d53126919..d3929365f 100644
--- a/src/bin/clapper-app/po/POTFILES
+++ b/src/bin/clapper-app/po/POTFILES
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+src/bin/clapper-app/data/applications/com.github.rafostar.Clapper.desktop.in
 src/bin/clapper-app/ui/clapper-app-audio-stream-list-item.ui
 src/bin/clapper-app/ui/clapper-app-headerbar.ui
 src/bin/clapper-app/ui/clapper-app-help-overlay.ui