diff --git a/cmake/CPackOptions.cmake.in b/cmake/CPackOptions.cmake.in
index 6d4fd97f4..63ae75bb2 100644
--- a/cmake/CPackOptions.cmake.in
+++ b/cmake/CPackOptions.cmake.in
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ set (CPACK_RESOURCE_FILE_LICENSE "@PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR@/COPYING")
 set (CPACK_RESOURCE_FILE_README "@PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR@/README.md")
 set (CPACK_RESOURCE_FILE_WELCOME "@PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR@/cmake/welcome.txt")
 
-set (CPACK_RPM_EXCLUDE_FROM_AUTO_FILELIST_ADDITION "@CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX@;@CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX@/bin;@CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX@/include;@CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX@/share;@CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX@/lib64;@CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX@/lib;@CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX@/pkgconfig")
+set (CPACK_RPM_EXCLUDE_FROM_AUTO_FILELIST_ADDITION "@CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX@;@CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX@/bin;@CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX@/include;@CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX@/share;@CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX@/lib64;@CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX@/lib;@CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX@/pkgconfig;@CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX@/share/applications;@CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX@/share/icons;@CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX@/share/icons/hicolor;@CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX@/share/icons/hicolor/48x48;@CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX@/share/icons/hicolor/48x48/apps")
 
 # we do not have any absolute paths, so do not need DESTDIR
 set (CPACK_SET_DESTDIR "OFF")
diff --git a/cmake/musredit.desktop b/cmake/musredit.desktop
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..95f028aef
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmake/musredit.desktop
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+[Desktop Entry]
+Name=MuSRedit
+Comment=editor and launcher for the musrfit data analysis
+GenericName=musrfit editor
+Exec=musredit %F
+Icon=musredit
+Terminal=false
+Type=Application
+StartupWMClass=MuSRedit
+Categories=Science;DataEditing;
+MimeType=text/plain;
+Keywords=muSR;fitting;musrfit;physics;muon;
+StartupNotify=true
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/cmake/musrfit-root6.spec.in b/cmake/musrfit-root6.spec.in
index da5f70547..856573329 100644
--- a/cmake/musrfit-root6.spec.in
+++ b/cmake/musrfit-root6.spec.in
@@ -91,6 +91,8 @@ rm -rf $RPM_BUILD_ROOT
 %_prefix/lib64/*
 %license COPYING
 %doc %_prefix/share/doc/musrfit
+%{_datadir}/applications/musredit.desktop
+%{_datadir}/icons/hicolor/48x48/apps/musredit.png
 
 
 
diff --git a/cmake/post_install.sh b/cmake/post_install.sh
index b77b23679..904e39420 100644
--- a/cmake/post_install.sh
+++ b/cmake/post_install.sh
@@ -10,3 +10,10 @@ then
 fi
 /sbin/ldconfig
 
+#update .desktop and icons
+if command -v update-desktop-database &>/dev/null; then
+  update-desktop-database -q /usr/share/applications || true
+fi
+if command -v gtk-update-icon-cache &>/dev/null; then
+  gtk-update-icon-cache -q -t /usr/share/icons/hicolor || true
+fi
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/cmake/post_uninstall.sh b/cmake/post_uninstall.sh
index 22ee00ec1..2f0b60362 100644
--- a/cmake/post_uninstall.sh
+++ b/cmake/post_uninstall.sh
@@ -3,3 +3,11 @@
 echo "  >> musrfit post uninstall script started ..."
 
 /sbin/ldconfig
+
+#update .desktop and icons
+if command -v update-desktop-database &>/dev/null; then
+  update-desktop-database -q /usr/share/applications || true
+fi
+if command -v gtk-update-icon-cache &>/dev/null; then
+  gtk-update-icon-cache -q -t /usr/share/icons/hicolor || true
+fi
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/musredit_qt5/musredit/CMakeLists.txt b/src/musredit_qt5/musredit/CMakeLists.txt
index 76683614d..3e7191cad 100644
--- a/src/musredit_qt5/musredit/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/musredit_qt5/musredit/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -133,6 +133,22 @@ else (APPLE)
   )
 endif (APPLE)
 
+# --- Linux App installation ----
+if (UNIX AND NOT APPLE)
+  install(
+    FILES
+      ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/cmake/musredit.desktop
+    DESTINATION
+      share/applications
+  )
+  install(
+    FILES
+      ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/icons/musredit.png
+    DESTINATION
+      share/icons/hicolor/48x48/apps
+  )
+endif (UNIX AND NOT APPLE)
+
 #--- documentation installation info ------------------------------------------
 install(
   DIRECTORY
diff --git a/src/musredit_qt5/musredit/icons/musredit.png b/src/musredit_qt5/musredit/icons/musredit.png
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b58c46f10
Binary files /dev/null and b/src/musredit_qt5/musredit/icons/musredit.png differ
diff --git a/src/musredit_qt6/musredit/CMakeLists.txt b/src/musredit_qt6/musredit/CMakeLists.txt
index a74e3fd40..a3b186d15 100644
--- a/src/musredit_qt6/musredit/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/musredit_qt6/musredit/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -133,6 +133,22 @@ else (APPLE)
   )
 endif (APPLE)
 
+# --- Linux App installation ----
+if (UNIX AND NOT APPLE)
+  install(
+    FILES
+      ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/cmake/musredit.desktop
+    DESTINATION
+      share/applications
+  )
+  install(
+    FILES
+      ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/icons/musredit.png
+    DESTINATION
+      share/icons/hicolor/48x48/apps
+  )
+endif (UNIX AND NOT APPLE)
+
 #--- documentation installation info ------------------------------------------
 install(
   DIRECTORY
diff --git a/src/musredit_qt6/musredit/icons/musredit.png b/src/musredit_qt6/musredit/icons/musredit.png
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b58c46f10
Binary files /dev/null and b/src/musredit_qt6/musredit/icons/musredit.png differ