diff --git a/dom0/misc/qubes-start.desktop b/dom0/misc/qubes-start.desktop
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e9eb63cc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/dom0/misc/qubes-start.desktop
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+[Desktop Entry]
+Version=1.0
+Type=Application
+Exec=qvm-start --quiet %VMNAME%
+Icon=%VMDIR%/icon.png
+Terminal=false
+Name=%VMNAME%: Start
+GenericName=%VMNAME%: Start
+StartupNotify=false
+Categories=System;
diff --git a/dom0/qvm-core/qubes.py b/dom0/qvm-core/qubes.py
index 0fc04f2d..be86293f 100755
--- a/dom0/qvm-core/qubes.py
+++ b/dom0/qvm-core/qubes.py
@@ -84,6 +84,8 @@ default_hvm_disk_size = 20*1024*1024*1024
 config_template_pv = '/usr/share/qubes/vm-template.conf'
 config_template_hvm = '/usr/share/qubes/vm-template-hvm.conf'
 
+start_appmenu_template = '/usr/share/qubes/qubes-start.desktop'
+
 qubes_whitelisted_appmenus = 'whitelisted-appmenus.list'
 
 dom0_update_check_interval = 6*3600
@@ -2080,6 +2082,14 @@ class QubesHVm(QubesVm):
             print >> sys.stderr, "--> Creating directory: {0}".format(self.dir_path)
         os.mkdir (self.dir_path)
 
+        if verbose:
+            print >> sys.stderr, "--> Creating appmenus directory: {0}".format(self.appmenus_templates_dir)
+        os.mkdir (self.appmenus_templates_dir)
+        shutil.copy (start_appmenu_template, self.appmenus_templates_dir)
+
+        if not self.internal:
+            self.create_appmenus (verbose, source_template=source_template)
+
         self.create_config_file()
 
         # create empty disk
diff --git a/rpm_spec/core-dom0.spec b/rpm_spec/core-dom0.spec
index f9043586..e2aa42d8 100644
--- a/rpm_spec/core-dom0.spec
+++ b/rpm_spec/core-dom0.spec
@@ -151,6 +151,7 @@ cp icons/*.png $RPM_BUILD_ROOT/usr/share/qubes/icons
 cp misc/qubes-vm.directory.template $RPM_BUILD_ROOT/usr/share/qubes/
 cp misc/qubes-templatevm.directory.template $RPM_BUILD_ROOT/usr/share/qubes/
 cp misc/qubes-appmenu-select.desktop $RPM_BUILD_ROOT/usr/share/qubes/
+cp misc/qubes-start.desktop $RPM_BUILD_ROOT/usr/share/qubes/
 cp misc/vm-template.conf $RPM_BUILD_ROOT/usr/share/qubes/
 cp misc/vm-template-hvm.conf $RPM_BUILD_ROOT/usr/share/qubes/
 
@@ -345,6 +346,7 @@ fi
 /usr/share/qubes/qubes-vm.directory.template
 /usr/share/qubes/qubes-templatevm.directory.template
 /usr/share/qubes/qubes-appmenu-select.desktop
+/usr/share/qubes/qubes-start.desktop
 /usr/share/qubes/vm-template.conf
 /usr/share/qubes/vm-template-hvm.conf
 /usr/lib/qubes/qubes_setup_dnat_to_ns