diff --git a/gui/initiategui.cpp b/gui/initiategui.cpp
index b838c7a..2bc691f 100644
--- a/gui/initiategui.cpp
+++ b/gui/initiategui.cpp
@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@
 #include "resources/config.h"
 #include "resources/qtconfig.h"
 
+#include <QApplication> // ensure QGuiApplication is defined before resources.h for desktop file name
+
 #include <qtutilities/resources/importplugin.h>
 #include <qtutilities/resources/qtconfigarguments.h>
 #include <qtutilities/resources/resources.h>
@@ -12,7 +14,6 @@
 
 #include <passwordfile/util/openssl.h>
 
-#include <QApplication>
 #include <QFile>
 #include <QMessageBox>
 #include <QSettings>
diff --git a/quickgui/initiatequick.cpp b/quickgui/initiatequick.cpp
index 117bca8..d0e634a 100644
--- a/quickgui/initiatequick.cpp
+++ b/quickgui/initiatequick.cpp
@@ -10,6 +10,15 @@
 // enable inline helper functions for Qt Quick provided by qtutilities
 #define QT_UTILITIES_GUI_QTQUICK
 
+// ensure QGuiApplication is defined before resources.h for desktop file name
+#ifdef PASSWORD_MANAGER_GUI_QTWIDGETS
+#include <QApplication>
+using App = QApplication;
+#else
+#include <QGuiApplication>
+using App = QGuiApplication;
+#endif
+
 #include <qtutilities/misc/desktoputils.h>
 #include <qtutilities/resources/qtconfigarguments.h>
 #include <qtutilities/resources/resources.h>
@@ -23,14 +32,6 @@
 #include <QQmlContext>
 #include <QSettings>
 
-#ifdef PASSWORD_MANAGER_GUI_QTWIDGETS
-#include <QApplication>
-using App = QApplication;
-#else
-#include <QGuiApplication>
-using App = QGuiApplication;
-#endif
-
 #include <cstdlib>
 
 using namespace CppUtilities;