diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/droiddeck/launcher/SessionActivity.kt b/app/src/main/java/com/droiddeck/launcher/SessionActivity.kt
index fb344c194..f20ea7a7a 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/droiddeck/launcher/SessionActivity.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/droiddeck/launcher/SessionActivity.kt
@@ -1944,7 +1944,8 @@ class SessionActivity : ComponentActivity(), SurfaceHolder.Callback {
                 }
                 if (problem == null) SessionEvents.record("package.ready") else failedComponent = "package"
             }
-            if (problem == null && desktop && !SessionState.stopRequested) {
+            if (problem == null && desktop && !SessionState.stopRequested &&
+                !((runtime || resume) && com.droiddeck.launcher.runtime.DesktopCatalog.desktopInstalled(this))) {
                 if (activeInstallWorker === worker) SessionState.installing = "desktop"
                 SessionEvents.transition(SessionPhase.INSTALLING_RUNTIME, "desktop.installing", mapOf("component" to "desktop"))
                 problem = installDesktop()
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/droiddeck/launcher/runtime/LinuxRuntimeInstaller.java b/app/src/main/java/com/droiddeck/launcher/runtime/LinuxRuntimeInstaller.java
index 50fb07355..21a40a92a 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/droiddeck/launcher/runtime/LinuxRuntimeInstaller.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/droiddeck/launcher/runtime/LinuxRuntimeInstaller.java
@@ -130,7 +130,8 @@ public final class LinuxRuntimeInstaller {
         }
         if (!owner) return join(job, listener);
         try {
-            job.ok = installOnce(context.getApplicationContext(), release, new ProgressListener() {
+            Context app = context.getApplicationContext();
+            ProgressListener progress = new ProgressListener() {
                 @Override public void onProgress(String stage, int percent) {
                     onProgress(Step.OTHER, stage, percent);
                 }
@@ -141,7 +142,10 @@ public final class LinuxRuntimeInstaller {
                     job.percent = percent;
                     for (ProgressListener l : job.listeners) l.onProgress(step, stage, percent);
                 }
-            });
+            };
+            boolean desktop = DesktopCatalog.INSTANCE.desktopInstalled(app);
+            job.ok = installOnce(app, release, progress);
+            if (job.ok && desktop) keepDesktop(app, progress);
             return job.ok;
         } finally {
             synchronized (JOB_LOCK) {
@@ -151,6 +155,28 @@ public final class LinuxRuntimeInstaller {
         }
     }
 
+    private static void keepDesktop(Context context, ProgressListener progress) {
+        String problem;
+        try {
+            problem = DesktopCatalog.INSTANCE.install(context, DesktopCatalog.INSTANCE.desktopEntry(context), progress);
+        } catch (RuntimeException e) {
+            problem = e.toString();
+        }
+        if (problem == null) {
+            Log.i(TAG, "desktop installed again for the new runtime");
+            return;
+        }
+        Log.w(TAG, "desktop not installed again for the new runtime: " + problem);
+        boolean started = false;
+        for (DesktopCatalog.Entry entry : DesktopCatalog.INSTANCE.interrupted(context)) {
+            if (DesktopCatalog.DESKTOP_ID.equals(entry.getId())) started = true;
+        }
+        if (!started) return;
+        String undone = DesktopCatalog.INSTANCE.removeDesktop(context, progress);
+        if (undone == null) Log.i(TAG, "rolled back the partial desktop install");
+        else Log.w(TAG, "could not roll back the partial desktop install: " + undone);
+    }
+
     public static boolean isInstalling() {
         synchronized (JOB_LOCK) {
             return running != null && !running.removal && !running.maintenance;
diff --git a/tools/ubuntu/README.md b/tools/ubuntu/README.md
index ceea395c5..85001fe67 100644
--- a/tools/ubuntu/README.md
+++ b/tools/ubuntu/README.md
@@ -29,7 +29,8 @@ Steam on the desktop). The app installs it into `files/linuxfs` and runs it unde
 - The desktop pack's `usr/share/droiddeck/desktop/files.tsv.gz` lists each path the desktop added
   (N), changed (C) or removed (R), and `originals/` keeps the runtime's copies of changed and removed
   files. Removing the desktop restores those and deletes the added files the user has not changed;
-  a runtime update replaces the tree, and the desktop is downloaded again when it is next opened.
+  a runtime update replaces the tree, so when the desktop was installed the update installs the new
+  runtime's desktop pack right after it.
 
 At run time: