WITH_DOCS=1
 WITH_API_DOCS=1
 WITH_EMACS=1
+WITH_DESKTOP=1
 WITH_BASH=1
 WITH_RUBY=1
 WITH_ZSH=1
        --without-docs                  Do not install documentation
        --without-api-docs              Do not install API man page
        --without-emacs                 Do not install lisp file
+       --without-desktop               Do not install desktop file
        --without-ruby                  Do not install ruby bindings
        --without-zsh-completion        Do not install zsh completions files
        --without-retry-lock            Do not use blocking xapian opens, even if available
        fi
     elif [ "${option}" = '--without-emacs' ] ; then
        WITH_EMACS=0
+    elif [ "${option%%=*}" = '--with-desktop' ]; then
+       if [ "${option#*=}" = 'no' ]; then
+           WITH_DESKTOP=0
+       else
+           WITH_DESKTOP=1
+       fi
+    elif [ "${option}" = '--without-desktop' ] ; then
+       WITH_DESKTOP=0
     elif [ "${option%%=*}" = '--with-bash-completion' ]; then
        if [ "${option#*=}" = 'no' ]; then
            WITH_BASH=0
     fi
 fi
 
+if [ $WITH_DESKTOP = "1" ]; then
+    printf "Checking if desktop-file-install is available... "
+    if command -v desktop-file-install > /dev/null; then
+       printf "Yes.\n"
+    else
+       printf "No (so will not install .desktop file).\n"
+       WITH_DESKTOP=0
+    fi
+fi
+
 libdir_in_ldconfig=0
 
 printf "Checking which platform we are on... "
 # Support for emacs
 WITH_EMACS = ${WITH_EMACS}
 
+# Support for desktop file
+WITH_DESKTOP = ${WITH_DESKTOP}
+
 # Support for bash completion
 WITH_BASH = ${WITH_BASH}
 
 
        install -m0644 $(emacs_images) "$(DESTDIR)$(emacsetcdir)"
        mkdir -p "$(DESTDIR)$(prefix)/bin/"
        install $(emacs_mua) "$(DESTDIR)$(prefix)/bin"
-
-.PHONY: install-desktop
-install-desktop:
+ifeq ($(WITH_DESKTOP),1)
        mkdir -p "$(DESTDIR)$(desktop_dir)"
        desktop-file-install --mode 0644 --dir "$(DESTDIR)$(desktop_dir)" $(emacs_mua_desktop)
+endif
 
 CLEAN := $(CLEAN) $(emacs_bytecode) $(dir)/notmuch-version.el $(dir)/notmuch-pkg.el