diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 57399da..d34bfe5 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -64,7 +64,8 @@ gdb: debug
 dist: clean
 	@mkdir -p ${PROJECT}-${VERSION}
 	@cp -R LICENSE Makefile config.mk config.def.h README \
-			${PROJECT}.1 ${SOURCE} ${PROJECT}-${VERSION}
+			${PROJECT}.1 ${SOURCE} ${PROJECT}-${VERSION} \
+			${PROJECT}.desktop
 	@tar -cf ${PROJECT}-${VERSION}.tar ${PROJECT}-${VERSION}
 	@gzip ${PROJECT}-${VERSION}.tar
 	@rm -rf ${PROJECT}-${VERSION}
@@ -78,9 +79,14 @@ install: all
 	@mkdir -p ${DESTDIR}${MANPREFIX}/man1
 	@sed "s/VERSION/${VERSION}/g" < ${PROJECT}.1 > ${DESTDIR}${MANPREFIX}/man1/${PROJECT}.1
 	@chmod 644 ${DESTDIR}${MANPREFIX}/man1/${PROJECT}.1
+	@mkdir -p ${DESTDIR}${DESKTOPPREFIX}
+	@echo installing desktop file
+	@install -m 644 ${PROJECT}.desktop ${DESTDIR}${DESKTOPPREFIX}
 
 uninstall:
 	@echo removing executable file
 	@rm -f ${DESTDIR}${PREFIX}/bin/${PROJECT}
 	@echo removing manual page
 	@rm -f ${DESTDIR}${MANPREFIX}/man1/${PROJECT}.1
+	@echo removing desktop file
+	@rm -f ${DESTDIR}${DESKTOPPREFIX}/${PROJECT}.desktop
diff --git a/config.mk b/config.mk
index f0315fc..0a5d947 100644
--- a/config.mk
+++ b/config.mk
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ VERSION = 0.0.8.3
 # paths
 PREFIX ?= /usr
 MANPREFIX ?= ${PREFIX}/share/man
+DESKTOPPREFIX ?= ${PREFIX}/share/desktop
 
 # libs
 GTK_INC = $(shell pkg-config --cflags gtk+-2.0 poppler-glib)
diff --git a/zathura.desktop b/zathura.desktop
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..539dbcc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/zathura.desktop
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+[Desktop Entry]
+Version=1.0
+Type=Application
+Encoding=UTF-8
+Name=Zathura
+Comment=A minimalistic PDF viewer
+Comment[de]=Ein minimalistischer PDF-Betrachter
+Exec=zathura %f
+Terminal=false
+Categories=Office;Viewer
+MimeType=application/pdf
+