diff --git a/po/POTFILES.in b/po/POTFILES.in
index 499d3a700..765dbb72d 100644
--- a/po/POTFILES.in
+++ b/po/POTFILES.in
@@ -94,5 +94,6 @@ subprojects/extensions-tool/src/command-prefs.c
 subprojects/extensions-tool/src/command-reset.c
 subprojects/extensions-tool/src/command-uninstall.c
 subprojects/extensions-tool/src/main.c
+subprojects/extensions-tool/src/templates/00-plain.desktop.in
 # Please do not remove this file from POTFILES.in. Run "git submodule init && git submodule update" to get it.
 subprojects/gvc/gvc-mixer-control.c
diff --git a/subprojects/extensions-tool/meson.build b/subprojects/extensions-tool/meson.build
index 0e95edd98..0832bf085 100644
--- a/subprojects/extensions-tool/meson.build
+++ b/subprojects/extensions-tool/meson.build
@@ -35,6 +35,8 @@ cc = meson.get_compiler('c')
 
 bash_completion = dependency('bash-completion', required: get_option('bash_completion'))
 
+po_dir = meson.source_root() + '/po'
+
 subdir('src')
 
 if bash_completion.found()
diff --git a/subprojects/extensions-tool/src/gnome-extensions-tool.gresource.xml b/subprojects/extensions-tool/src/gnome-extensions-tool.gresource.xml
index dce8d5c66..684358c13 100644
--- a/subprojects/extensions-tool/src/gnome-extensions-tool.gresource.xml
+++ b/subprojects/extensions-tool/src/gnome-extensions-tool.gresource.xml
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
 <gresources>
   <gresource prefix="/org/gnome/extensions-tool">
+    <file>templates/00-plain.desktop</file>
     <file>templates/plain/extension.js</file>
     <file>templates/plain/stylesheet.css</file>
   </gresource>
diff --git a/subprojects/extensions-tool/src/meson.build b/subprojects/extensions-tool/src/meson.build
index 77d62b5e9..a855fef97 100644
--- a/subprojects/extensions-tool/src/meson.build
+++ b/subprojects/extensions-tool/src/meson.build
@@ -22,9 +22,12 @@ sources = [
   'main.c'
 ]
 
+subdir('templates')
+
 resources = gnome.compile_resources('resources',
   'gnome-extensions-tool.gresource.xml',
-  source_dir: '.'
+  source_dir: ['.', meson.current_build_dir()],
+  dependencies: template_deps,
 )
 
 executable('gnome-extensions',
diff --git a/subprojects/extensions-tool/src/templates/00-plain.desktop.in b/subprojects/extensions-tool/src/templates/00-plain.desktop.in
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..36ddf807c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/subprojects/extensions-tool/src/templates/00-plain.desktop.in
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+[Desktop Entry]
+Type=Application
+Name=Plain
+Comment=An empty extension
+Path=plain
diff --git a/subprojects/extensions-tool/src/templates/meson.build b/subprojects/extensions-tool/src/templates/meson.build
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..4f86ad4e2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/subprojects/extensions-tool/src/templates/meson.build
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+template_metas = [
+  '00-plain.desktop',
+]
+template_deps = []
+foreach template : template_metas
+  template_deps += i18n.merge_file(template,
+    input: template + '.in',
+    output: template,
+    po_dir: po_dir,
+    type: 'desktop',
+  )
+endforeach