diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 4a71f9c92d..920bb40668 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -37,6 +37,8 @@ gsd_pkglibdir = join_paths(gsd_libdir, gsd_api_name)
 
 gsd_schemadir = join_paths(gsd_datadir, 'glib-2.0', 'schemas')
 
+gsd_xdg_autostart = join_paths(gsd_sysconfdir, 'xdg', 'autostart')
+
 gsd_3_0_api_name = '@0@-@1@'.format(meson.project_name(), '3.0')
 gsd_gtk_modules_directory = join_paths(gsd_libdir, gsd_3_0_api_name, 'gtk-modules')
 
diff --git a/plugins/meson.build b/plugins/meson.build
index 6f963013b..d83d4c3fd 100644
--- a/plugins/meson.build
+++ b/plugins/meson.build
@@ -82,15 +82,36 @@ foreach plugin: all_plugins
     plugin_description = plugin[2]
     plugin_dbus_name='org.gnome.SettingsDaemon.@0@'.format(plugin_name_case)
 
+    desktop = 'org.gnome.SettingsDaemon.@0@.desktop'.format(plugin[1])
+
+    if disabled_plugins.contains(plugin_name)
+        desktop_in_file = files('org.gnome.SettingsDaemon.Dummy.desktop.in')
+    else
+        desktop_in_file = files('org.gnome.SettingsDaemon.Real.desktop.in')
+    endif
+
     cflags = [
         '-DG_LOG_DOMAIN="@0@-plugin"'.format(plugin_name),
         '-DPLUGIN_NAME="@0@"'.format(plugin_name),
         '-DPLUGIN_DBUS_NAME="@0@"'.format(plugin_dbus_name),
     ] + plugins_cflags
 
+    desktop = 'org.gnome.SettingsDaemon.@0@.desktop'.format(plugin[1])
+    desktop_conf = configuration_data()
+    desktop_conf.set('libexecdir', gsd_libexecdir)
+    desktop_conf.set('systemd_hidden', enable_systemd ? 'true' : 'false')
+    desktop_conf.set('pluginname', plugin_name)
+    desktop_conf.set('description', plugin_description)
+    configure_file(
+        input: desktop_in_file,
+        output: desktop,
+        configuration: desktop_conf,
+        install_dir: gsd_xdg_autostart
+    )
+
     if not disabled_plugins.contains(plugin_name)
-        user_target = 'org.gnome.SettingsDaemon.@0@.target'.format(plugin_name_case)
-        user_service = 'org.gnome.SettingsDaemon.@0@.service'.format(plugin_name_case)
+        user_target = 'org.gnome.SettingsDaemon.@0@.target'.format(plugin[1])
+        user_service = 'org.gnome.SettingsDaemon.@0@.service'.format(plugin[1])
 
         unit_conf = configuration_data()
         unit_conf.set('plugin_name', plugin_name)
diff --git a/plugins/org.gnome.SettingsDaemon.Dummy.desktop.in b/plugins/org.gnome.SettingsDaemon.Dummy.desktop.in
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f4cc7a278
--- /dev/null
+++ b/plugins/org.gnome.SettingsDaemon.Dummy.desktop.in
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+[Desktop Entry]
+Type=Application
+Name=GNOME Settings Daemon's @pluginname@ dummy autostart file
+Exec=false
+OnlyShowIn=GNOME;
+NoDisplay=true
+Hidden=true
diff --git a/plugins/org.gnome.SettingsDaemon.Real.desktop.in b/plugins/org.gnome.SettingsDaemon.Real.desktop.in
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..3034e7125
--- /dev/null
+++ b/plugins/org.gnome.SettingsDaemon.Real.desktop.in
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+[Desktop Entry]
+Type=Application
+Name=@description@
+Exec=@libexecdir@/gsd-@pluginname@
+OnlyShowIn=GNOME;
+NoDisplay=true
+X-GNOME-Autostart-Phase=Initialization
+X-GNOME-Autostart-Notify=true
+X-GNOME-AutoRestart=true
+X-GNOME-HiddenUnderSystemd=@systemd_hidden@