diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 9aff80a4a..ab3b7a3a8 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-AC_INIT(gnome-shell, 0.1)
+AC_INIT(gnome-shell, 2.27.0)
 
 AC_CONFIG_AUX_DIR(config)
 
diff --git a/data/Makefile.am b/data/Makefile.am
index aae022d46..fa0db4f79 100644
--- a/data/Makefile.am
+++ b/data/Makefile.am
@@ -1,3 +1,17 @@
+desktopdir=$(datadir)/applications
+desktop_DATA = gnome-shell.desktop
+
+# We substitute in bindir so it works as an autostart
+# file when built in a non-system prefix
+gnome-shell.desktop.in: gnome-shell.desktop.in.in
+	$(AM_V_GEN) sed -e "s|@bindir[@]|$(bindir)|" \
+	    -e "s|@VERSION[@]|$(VERSION)|" \
+	    $< > $@ || rm $@
+
+# Placeholder until we add intltool
+gnome-shell.desktop: gnome-shell.desktop.in
+	$(AM_V_GEN) sed s/^_// < $< > $@ || rm $@
+
 imagedir = $(pkgdatadir)/images
 
 dist_image_DATA =		\
@@ -14,5 +28,11 @@ schema_DATA = gnome-shell.schemas
 install-data-local:
 	GCONF_CONFIG_SOURCE=$(GCONF_SCHEMA_CONFIG_SOURCE) $(GCONFTOOL) --makefile-install-rule $(srcdir)/$(schema_DATA)
 
-EXTRA_DIST =			\
+EXTRA_DIST =					\
+	gnome-shell.desktop.in.in		\
+	gnome-shell.desktop.in			\
 	$(schema_DATA)
+
+CLEANFILES =					\
+	$(desktop_DATA)
+
diff --git a/data/gnome-shell.desktop.in.in b/data/gnome-shell.desktop.in.in
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a6765ba70
--- /dev/null
+++ b/data/gnome-shell.desktop.in.in
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+[Desktop Entry]
+Type=Application
+_Name=GNOME Shell
+_Comment=Window management and application launching
+Exec=@bindir@/gnome-shell
+X-GNOME-Bugzilla-Bugzilla=GNOME
+X-GNOME-Bugzilla-Product=gnome-shell
+X-GNOME-Bugzilla-Component=general
+X-GNOME-Bugzilla-Version=@VERSION@
+Categories=GNOME;GTK;Utility;Core;
+OnlyShowIn=GNOME;
+NoDisplay=true
+X-GNOME-Autostart-Phase=WindowManager
+X-GNOME-Provides=panel;windowmanager;
+X-GNOME-Autostart-Notify=true