diff --git a/docs/PACKAGING.md b/docs/PACKAGING.md
index d588f28..05942b6 100644
--- a/docs/PACKAGING.md
+++ b/docs/PACKAGING.md
@@ -215,6 +215,13 @@ Notes:
   `gui/model.py` stays import-clean so headless builders can run the test
   suite without a display server or `PySide6` installed.
 
+`packaging/enodia-sentinel-gui.desktop` and
+`packaging/enodia-sentinel-gui-qt.desktop` are application-menu launchers.
+Unlike `enodia-sentinel-tray.desktop`, they carry no autostart key — a
+dashboard window should open when the operator asks for it, not at login.
+Desktop packagers may install them to `/usr/share/applications/`; source
+installs can copy them to `~/.local/share/applications/`.
+
 ## Terminal TUI and Completion
 
 The terminal dashboard is stdlib-only and available through
diff --git a/packaging/enodia-sentinel-gui-qt.desktop b/packaging/enodia-sentinel-gui-qt.desktop
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ce41e5d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packaging/enodia-sentinel-gui-qt.desktop
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+[Desktop Entry]
+Type=Application
+Name=Enodia Sentinel Dashboard (Qt)
+GenericName=Security Dashboard
+Comment=Read-only Qt desktop dashboard for the Enodia Sentinel security agent
+Exec=enodia-sentinel-gui-qt
+Icon=security-high
+Terminal=false
+Categories=System;Security;Monitor;
+Keywords=security;ids;ips;edr;intrusion;monitor;
+StartupNotify=true
diff --git a/packaging/enodia-sentinel-gui.desktop b/packaging/enodia-sentinel-gui.desktop
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..58b1c60
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packaging/enodia-sentinel-gui.desktop
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+[Desktop Entry]
+Type=Application
+Name=Enodia Sentinel Dashboard
+GenericName=Security Dashboard
+Comment=Read-only desktop dashboard for the Enodia Sentinel security agent
+Exec=enodia-sentinel-gui
+Icon=security-high
+Terminal=false
+Categories=System;Security;Monitor;
+Keywords=security;ids;ips;edr;intrusion;monitor;
+StartupNotify=true
diff --git a/tests/test_packaging.py b/tests/test_packaging.py
index 0944a8a..7bea07b 100644
--- a/tests/test_packaging.py
+++ b/tests/test_packaging.py
@@ -166,5 +166,34 @@ class TestTrayDesktopEntry(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertRegex(text, r"(?m)^Name=.*Sentinel")
 
 
+class TestGuiDesktopEntries(unittest.TestCase):
+    ENTRIES = {
+        "packaging/enodia-sentinel-gui.desktop": "enodia-sentinel-gui",
+        "packaging/enodia-sentinel-gui-qt.desktop": "enodia-sentinel-gui-qt",
+    }
+
+    def test_desktop_files_launch_gui_entry_points(self):
+        for path, exec_name in self.ENTRIES.items():
+            with self.subTest(path=path):
+                text = _read(path)
+                self.assertIn("[Desktop Entry]", text)
+                self.assertIn("Type=Application", text)
+                self.assertRegex(text, rf"(?m)^Exec={exec_name}$")
+                self.assertRegex(text, r"(?m)^Name=.*Sentinel")
+
+    def test_gui_entry_points_match_pyproject_scripts(self):
+        scripts = tomllib.loads(_read("pyproject.toml"))["project"]["scripts"]
+        for exec_name in self.ENTRIES.values():
+            with self.subTest(script=exec_name):
+                self.assertIn(exec_name, scripts)
+
+    def test_gui_entries_are_launchers_not_autostart(self):
+        # The tray applet is opt-in autostart; the dashboards are menu
+        # launchers and must never start themselves at login.
+        for path in self.ENTRIES:
+            with self.subTest(path=path):
+                self.assertNotIn("Autostart", _read(path))
+
+
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     unittest.main()