diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 9feb9f71..cea4a790 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ set(GLADE_FILES ui/account_list.glade ui/account_cannot_remove.glade ui/account_
 option(DEBUG "Build for debugging." OFF)
 option(ICON_UPDATE "Run gtk-update-icon-cache after the install." ON)
 option(DESKTOP_UPDATE "Run update-desktop-database after the install." ON)
+option(DESKTOP_VALIDATE "Check generated desktop file for errors during build." ON)
 
 if (DEBUG)
     message(STATUS "Debug build")
@@ -44,6 +45,10 @@ if (DESKTOP_UPDATE)
     message(STATUS "Desktop database will be updated")
 endif ()
 
+if (DESKTOP_VALIDATE)
+    message(STATUS "Generated desktop file will be checked for errors")
+endif ()
+
 find_package(PkgConfig)
 pkg_check_modules(LIBUNITY QUIET unity>=5.12.0)
 pkg_check_modules(LIBMESSAGINGMENU QUIET messaging-menu>=12.10.2)
diff --git a/cmake/FindDesktopFileValidate.cmake b/cmake/FindDesktopFileValidate.cmake
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..0a16ac38
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmake/FindDesktopFileValidate.cmake
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+# FindDesktopFileValidate.cmake
+#
+# Charles Lindsay <chaz@yorba.org>
+# Copyright 2013 Yorba Foundation
+
+find_program (DESKTOP_FILE_VALIDATE_EXECUTABLE desktop-file-validate)
+
+if (DESKTOP_FILE_VALIDATE_EXECUTABLE)
+    set (DESKTOP_FILE_VALIDATE_FOUND TRUE)
+else (DESKTOP_FILE_VALIDATE_EXECUTABLE)
+    set (DESKTOP_FILE_VALIDATE_FOUND FALSE)
+endif (DESKTOP_FILE_VALIDATE_EXECUTABLE)
+
+if (DESKTOP_FILE_VALIDATE_FOUND)
+    macro (VALIDATE_DESKTOP_FILE desktop_id)
+        add_custom_command (TARGET ${desktop_id}.desktop POST_BUILD
+            COMMAND ${DESKTOP_FILE_VALIDATE_EXECUTABLE} ${desktop_id}.desktop
+        )
+    endmacro (VALIDATE_DESKTOP_FILE desktop_id)
+endif (DESKTOP_FILE_VALIDATE_FOUND)
diff --git a/configure b/configure
index 8cc85415..13b42f34 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -26,6 +26,8 @@ configure_help() {
 	                        Disable compiling the GSettings schema.
 	  --disable-desktop-update
 	                        Disable desktop database update.
+	  --disable-desktop-validate
+	                        Disable checking for errors in generated desktop file.
 	  --disable-icon-update
 	                        Disable icon cache update.
 
@@ -84,6 +86,10 @@ do
         --disable-desktop-update)
                             CMDLINE="${CMDLINE} -DDESKTOP_UPDATE=OFF"
                             ;;
+
+        --disable-desktop-validate)
+                            CMDLINE="${CMDLINE} -DDESKTOP_VALIDATE=OFF"
+                            ;;
         
         VALAC)              [ ! $value ] && abort $1
                             VALAC=$value
diff --git a/debian/control b/debian/control
index fd1b7ad1..99971f16 100644
--- a/debian/control
+++ b/debian/control
@@ -18,7 +18,8 @@ Build-Depends: debhelper (>= 8),
  libmessaging-menu-dev (>= 12.10.2),
  libunity-dev (>= 5.12.0),
  intltool,
- libgirepository1.0-dev (>= 1.32.0)
+ libgirepository1.0-dev (>= 1.32.0),
+ desktop-file-utils
 Standards-Version: 3.8.3
 Homepage: http://www.yorba.org
 
diff --git a/desktop/CMakeLists.txt b/desktop/CMakeLists.txt
index ecce05f4..506438fd 100644
--- a/desktop/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/desktop/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -3,8 +3,17 @@
 #
 
 include (FindIntltool)
+include (FindDesktopFileValidate)
 if (INTLTOOL_MERGE_FOUND)
     INTLTOOL_MERGE_DESKTOP (geary po)
+    
+    if (DESKTOP_VALIDATE)
+        if (DESKTOP_FILE_VALIDATE_FOUND)
+            VALIDATE_DESKTOP_FILE (geary)
+        else (DESKTOP_FILE_VALIDATE_FOUND)
+            message (FATAL_ERROR "desktop-file-validate must be installed to validate generated .desktop file")
+        endif (DESKTOP_FILE_VALIDATE_FOUND)
+    endif (DESKTOP_VALIDATE)
 else (INTLTOOL_MERGE_FOUND)
     message (FATAL_ERROR "intltool must be installed to generate .desktop file")
 endif (INTLTOOL_MERGE_FOUND)