diff --git a/Makefile.c-applet b/Makefile.c-applet
index 11d50b00..e7cc26fb 100644
--- a/Makefile.c-applet
+++ b/Makefile.c-applet
@@ -11,3 +11,7 @@ AM_CFLAGS = 			\
 APPLET_LINKER_FLAGS = -module -avoid-version
 
 appletdir = $(libdir)/awn/applets/$(APPLET_NAME)
+
+EXTRA_DIST += \
+	$(desktop_DATA:.desktop=.desktop.in.in) \
+	$(NULL)
diff --git a/Makefile.desktop-files b/Makefile.desktop-files
index 1e7d39d7..0655b833 100644
--- a/Makefile.desktop-files
+++ b/Makefile.desktop-files
@@ -11,6 +11,6 @@ desktop_DATA = $(APPLET_NAME).desktop
 
 EXTRA_DIST = \
 	$(icon_DATA) \
-	$(desktop_DATA).in
+	$(NULL)
 
 CLEANFILES = $(desktop_DATA)
diff --git a/Makefile.python-applet b/Makefile.python-applet
index 90eee1c8..60237216 100644
--- a/Makefile.python-applet
+++ b/Makefile.python-applet
@@ -5,3 +5,7 @@ include $(top_srcdir)/Makefile.desktop-files
 appletdir = $(applet_datadir)
 
 dist_applet_SCRIPTS = $(APPLET_MAIN_FILE)
+
+EXTRA_DIST += \
+	$(desktop_DATA:.desktop:=.desktop.in) \
+	$(NULL)