diff --git a/pkgs/applications/editors/vscode/generic.nix b/pkgs/applications/editors/vscode/generic.nix
index 72c753745168..45a86a73d029 100644
--- a/pkgs/applications/editors/vscode/generic.nix
+++ b/pkgs/applications/editors/vscode/generic.nix
@@ -161,12 +161,9 @@ let
       krb5
     ]) ++ additionalPkgs pkgs;
 
-    # restore desktop item icons
+    # symlink shared assets, including icons and desktop entries
     extraInstallCommands = ''
-      mkdir -p "$out/share/applications"
-      for item in ${unwrapped}/share/applications/*.desktop; do
-        ln -s "$item" "$out/share/applications/"
-      done
+      ln -s "${unwrapped}/share" "$out/"
     '';
 
     runScript = "${unwrapped}/bin/${executableName}";