diff --git a/games-strategy/freeciv/freeciv-3.2.0_beta2.ebuild b/games-strategy/freeciv/freeciv-3.2.0_beta2.ebuild
index 0555e7ba6e5f7..5636fd5d3b05a 100644
--- a/games-strategy/freeciv/freeciv-3.2.0_beta2.ebuild
+++ b/games-strategy/freeciv/freeciv-3.2.0_beta2.ebuild
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ EAPI=8
 
 LUA_COMPAT=( lua5-4 )
 
-inherit desktop lua-single meson xdg
+inherit lua-single meson xdg
 
 DESCRIPTION="Multiplayer strategy game (Civilization Clone)"
 HOMEPAGE="https://www.freeciv.org/ https://github.com/freeciv/freeciv/"
@@ -214,9 +214,7 @@ src_install() {
 			-o -name 'freeciv-ruleup.6' -o -name 'freeciv-server.6' \) -mindepth 1 -delete || die
 	else
 		# sdl client needs some special handling
-		if use sdl ; then
-			make_desktop_entry freeciv-sdl "Freeciv (SDL)" freeciv-client
-		else
+		if ! use sdl ; then
 			rm "${ED}"/usr/share/man/man6/freeciv-sdl2.6 || die
 		fi
 	fi
diff --git a/games-strategy/freeciv/freeciv-9999.ebuild b/games-strategy/freeciv/freeciv-9999.ebuild
index 94c9cd9287f60..f18503f5a70d0 100644
--- a/games-strategy/freeciv/freeciv-9999.ebuild
+++ b/games-strategy/freeciv/freeciv-9999.ebuild
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ EAPI=8
 
 LUA_COMPAT=( lua5-4 )
 
-inherit desktop lua-single meson xdg
+inherit lua-single meson xdg
 
 DESCRIPTION="Multiplayer strategy game (Civilization Clone)"
 HOMEPAGE="https://www.freeciv.org/ https://github.com/freeciv/freeciv/"
@@ -235,9 +235,7 @@ src_install() {
 			-o -name 'freeciv-ruleup.6' -o -name 'freeciv-server.6' \) -mindepth 1 -delete || die
 	else
 		# sdl client needs some special handling
-		if use sdl ; then
-			make_desktop_entry freeciv-sdl "Freeciv (SDL)" freeciv-client
-		else
+		if ! use sdl ; then
 			rm "${ED}"/usr/share/man/man6/freeciv-sdl2.6 || die
 		fi
 	fi