diff --git a/app.go b/app.go
index bd14b61..8b8757b 100644
--- a/app.go
+++ b/app.go
@@ -476,7 +476,7 @@ func (a *App) startupHeadless() {
 	}
 
 	// Ensure desktop integration for Wayland portals
-	if err := platform.EnsureDesktopFile(); err != nil {
+	if err := platform.EnsureDesktopFile(tray.DefaultIconBytes()); err != nil {
 		logger.Error("Failed to ensure desktop file: %v", err)
 	}
 
diff --git a/internal/linux/startup.go b/internal/linux/startup.go
index ea017e3..1e82904 100644
--- a/internal/linux/startup.go
+++ b/internal/linux/startup.go
@@ -15,31 +15,52 @@ const baseDesktopFileTemplate = `[Desktop Entry]
 Type=Application
 Name=WIS Free V3
 %s
+Icon=%s
+StartupWMClass=%s
 Terminal=false
 Categories=Utility;
 `
 
-const autostartDesktopFileTemplate = baseDesktopFileTemplate + "X-GNOME-Autostart-enabled=true\n"
+const autostartDesktopFileTemplate = `[Desktop Entry]
+Type=Application
+Name=WIS Free V3
+%s
+Icon=wis-free-v3
+StartupWMClass=wis-free-v3
+Terminal=false
+Categories=Utility;
+X-GNOME-Autostart-enabled=true
+`
 
-func EnsureDesktopFile() error {
+func EnsureDesktopFile(iconBytes []byte) error {
 	home, err := os.UserHomeDir()
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	
+
 	appsDir := filepath.Join(home, ".local", "share", "applications")
 	if err := os.MkdirAll(appsDir, 0755); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	
+
 	desktopPath := filepath.Join(appsDir, appName+".desktop")
-	
+
 	exePath, err := getExecutablePath()
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	
-	content := fmt.Sprintf(baseDesktopFileTemplate, desktopExecField(exePath))
+
+	// Write icon to local pixmaps so the desktop file Icon= field resolves
+	pixmapsDir := filepath.Join(home, ".local", "share", "pixmaps")
+	if err := os.MkdirAll(pixmapsDir, 0755); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	iconPath := filepath.Join(pixmapsDir, appName+".png")
+	if err := os.WriteFile(iconPath, iconBytes, 0644); err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("failed to write icon to pixmaps: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	content := fmt.Sprintf(baseDesktopFileTemplate, desktopExecField(exePath), appName, appName)
 	return os.WriteFile(desktopPath, []byte(content), 0644)
 }
 
diff --git a/internal/platform/platform_linux.go b/internal/platform/platform_linux.go
index bc86e72..1ca1003 100644
--- a/internal/platform/platform_linux.go
+++ b/internal/platform/platform_linux.go
@@ -31,6 +31,6 @@ func IsProcessRunning(pid int) bool {
 	return linux.IsProcessRunning(pid)
 }
 
-func EnsureDesktopFile() error {
-	return linux.EnsureDesktopFile()
+func EnsureDesktopFile(iconBytes []byte) error {
+	return linux.EnsureDesktopFile(iconBytes)
 }
diff --git a/internal/platform/platform_windows.go b/internal/platform/platform_windows.go
index 72ec01d..9ddbb81 100644
--- a/internal/platform/platform_windows.go
+++ b/internal/platform/platform_windows.go
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ func IsProcessRunning(pid int) bool {
 	return windows.IsProcessRunning(pid)
 }
 
-func EnsureDesktopFile() error {
+func EnsureDesktopFile(iconBytes []byte) error {
 	// Not applicable on Windows
 	return nil
 }
diff --git a/internal/ui/tray/icon.png b/internal/ui/tray/icon.png
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..63617fe
Binary files /dev/null and b/internal/ui/tray/icon.png differ
diff --git a/internal/ui/tray/tray.go b/internal/ui/tray/tray.go
index 90b98de..dc3c865 100644
--- a/internal/ui/tray/tray.go
+++ b/internal/ui/tray/tray.go
@@ -10,7 +10,6 @@ import (
 	"os"
 	"runtime"
 	"strings"
-	"sync"
 
 	"wis-free-v3/internal/config"
 	"wis-free-v3/internal/logger"
@@ -22,6 +21,9 @@ import (
 //go:embed icon.ico
 var iconData []byte
 
+//go:embed icon.png
+var iconPNGData []byte
+
 //go:embed icon_recording.png
 var iconRecordingData []byte
 
@@ -152,30 +154,16 @@ func buildTooltip(app App) string {
 	return trayLabel + " - " + shortcut + " to record"
 }
 
-var (
-	defaultIconOnce  sync.Once
-	defaultIconBytes []byte
-)
-
 func getDefaultIcon() []byte {
-	if runtime.GOOS != "linux" {
-		return iconData
+	if runtime.GOOS == "linux" {
+		return iconPNGData
 	}
+	return iconData
+}
 
-	defaultIconOnce.Do(func() {
-		pngData, err := icoToPNG(iconData)
-		if err != nil {
-			logger.Error("Failed to convert tray icon to PNG for Linux: %v", err)
-			defaultIconBytes = iconData
-			return
-		}
-		defaultIconBytes = pngData
-	})
-
-	if len(defaultIconBytes) == 0 {
-		return iconData
-	}
-	return defaultIconBytes
+// DefaultIconBytes returns the raw default icon bytes for the current platform.
+func DefaultIconBytes() []byte {
+	return getDefaultIcon()
 }
 
 func icoToPNG(data []byte) ([]byte, error) {
diff --git a/internal/ui/tray/tray_linux.go b/internal/ui/tray/tray_linux.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a6f268e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/ui/tray/tray_linux.go
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+//go:build linux
+package tray
+
+/*
+#include <glib.h>
+*/
+import "C"
+import "unsafe"
+
+func init() {
+	cstr := C.CString("wis-free-v3")
+	defer C.free(unsafe.Pointer(cstr))
+	C.g_set_prgname(cstr)
+}
diff --git a/scripts/build-linux.sh b/scripts/build-linux.sh
index d78dde7..da37ae1 100755
--- a/scripts/build-linux.sh
+++ b/scripts/build-linux.sh
@@ -56,6 +56,43 @@ fi
 # 2. Check for Linux dependencies
 echo "[1/3] Checking system dependencies..."
 MISSING_DEPS=0
+
+# 2a. GNOME tray icon support check (before build — avoids launching app if this will fail)
+# AppIndicator icons need the GNOME Shell extension on GNOME desktop environments.
+# Other DEs (KDE Plasma, XFCE, Cinnamon, etc.) usually support them natively.
+if [ "$XDG_CURRENT_DESKTOP" = "GNOME" ] || [ "$XDG_CURRENT_DESKTOP" = "ubuntu:GNOME" ]; then
+    if ! gnome-extensions show appindicator@altamirano.fabio &>/dev/null; then
+        echo ""
+        echo "==============================================================="
+        echo "  ERROR: GNOME AppIndicator extension is not installed"
+        echo "==============================================================="
+        echo ""
+        echo "  GNOME does not show system tray icons without this extension."
+        echo "  The app will run but the tray icon will be invisible."
+        echo ""
+        if command_exists dnf; then
+            echo "  Install it with:"
+            echo ""
+            echo "    sudo dnf install gnome-shell-extension-appindicator"
+            echo ""
+        elif command_exists apt-get; then
+            echo "  Install it with:"
+            echo ""
+            echo "    sudo apt install gnome-shell-extension-appindicator"
+            echo ""
+        else
+            echo "  Install the 'gnome-shell-extension-appindicator' package"
+            echo "  for your distribution."
+            echo ""
+        fi
+        echo "  Then log out and back in, and enable it in:"
+        echo "    Settings > Extensions > AppIndicator and KStatusNotifierItem Support"
+        echo ""
+        echo "==============================================================="
+        exit 1
+    fi
+fi
+
 DEPS=("gcc" "pkg-config")
 
 for dep in "${DEPS[@]}"; do
@@ -200,6 +237,10 @@ if [ ! -f "$EXECUTABLE" ]; then
     exit 1
 fi
 
+# wails build sometimes auto-launches the binary on Linux — kill it so it
+# doesn't block the terminal while we ask about installation.
+pkill -f "$EXECUTABLE" 2>/dev/null || true
+
 echo "[3/3] Build successful!"
 echo "      Output: $EXECUTABLE"
 echo ""
@@ -232,6 +273,7 @@ Comment=Voice Dictation App
 Exec=/usr/local/bin/$APP_NAME
 TryExec=/usr/local/bin/$APP_NAME
 Icon=$APP_NAME
+StartupWMClass=$APP_NAME
 Terminal=false
 Categories=Utility;Audio;
 EOF