diff --git a/src/linuxdeploy.cpp b/src/linuxdeploy.cpp
index f0b7bba..5fed249 100644
--- a/src/linuxdeploy.cpp
+++ b/src/linuxdeploy.cpp
@@ -14,6 +14,9 @@ using namespace linuxdeploy::util;
 namespace bf = boost::filesystem;
 
 namespace linuxdeploy {
+    desktopfile::DesktopFile getMainDesktopFile(std::vector<std::string>& desktopFilePaths,
+                                                std::vector<desktopfile::DesktopFile>& deployedDesktopFiles);
+
     int deployAppDirRootFiles(std::vector<std::string> desktopFilePaths,
                               std::string customAppRunPath, appdir::AppDir& appDir) {
         // search for desktop file and deploy it to AppDir root
@@ -28,55 +31,65 @@ namespace linuxdeploy {
         } else {
             auto deployedDesktopFiles = appDir.deployedDesktopFiles();
 
-            desktopfile::DesktopFile desktopFile;
+            try {
+                desktopfile::DesktopFile desktopFile = getMainDesktopFile(desktopFilePaths, deployedDesktopFiles);
 
-            if (deployedDesktopFiles.empty()) {
-                ldLog() << LD_WARNING
-                        << "Could not find desktop file in AppDir, cannot create links for AppRun, desktop file and icon in AppDir root"
-                        << std::endl;
-            } else {
-                if (!desktopFilePaths.empty()) {
-                    auto firstDeployedDesktopFileName = boost::filesystem::path(
-                        desktopFilePaths.front()).filename().string();
+                ldLog() << "Deploying desktop file:" << desktopFile.path() << std::endl;
 
-                    auto desktopFileMatchingName = find_if(
-                        deployedDesktopFiles.begin(),
-                        deployedDesktopFiles.end(),
-                        [&firstDeployedDesktopFileName](const desktopfile::DesktopFile& desktopFile) {
-                            auto fileName = desktopFile.path().filename().string();
-                            return fileName == firstDeployedDesktopFileName;
-                        }
-                    );
+                bool rv;
 
-                    if (desktopFileMatchingName != deployedDesktopFiles.end()) {
-                        desktopFile = *desktopFileMatchingName;
-                    } else {
-                        ldLog() << LD_ERROR << "Could not find desktop file deployed earlier any more:"
-                                << firstDeployedDesktopFileName << std::endl;
-                        return 1;
-                    }
+                if (!customAppRunPath.empty()) {
+                    rv = appDir.createLinksInAppDirRoot(desktopFile, customAppRunPath);
                 } else {
-                    desktopFile = deployedDesktopFiles[0];
-                    ldLog() << LD_WARNING << "No desktop file specified, using first desktop file found:"
-                            << desktopFile.path() << std::endl;
+                    rv = appDir.createLinksInAppDirRoot(desktopFile);
                 }
 
-            }
-
-            ldLog() << "Deploying desktop file:" << desktopFile.path() << std::endl;
-
-            bool rv;
-
-            if (!customAppRunPath.empty()) {
-                rv = appDir.createLinksInAppDirRoot(desktopFile, customAppRunPath);
-            } else {
-                rv = appDir.createLinksInAppDirRoot(desktopFile);
-            }
-
-            if (!rv) {
-                return 1;
+                if (!rv) {
+                    return 1;
+                }
+            } catch (const std::runtime_error& er) {
+                return -1;
             }
         }
         return true;
     }
+
+    desktopfile::DesktopFile getMainDesktopFile(std::vector<std::string>& desktopFilePaths,
+                                                std::vector<desktopfile::DesktopFile>& deployedDesktopFiles) {
+        desktopfile::DesktopFile desktopFile;
+
+        if (deployedDesktopFiles.empty()) {
+            ldLog() << LD_WARNING
+                    << "Could not find desktop file in AppDir, cannot create links for AppRun, desktop file and icon in AppDir root"
+                    << std::endl;
+        } else {
+            if (!desktopFilePaths.empty()) {
+                auto firstDeployedDesktopFileName = boost::filesystem::path(
+                    desktopFilePaths.front()).filename().string();
+
+                auto desktopFileMatchingName = find_if(
+                    deployedDesktopFiles.begin(),
+                    deployedDesktopFiles.end(),
+                    [&firstDeployedDesktopFileName](const desktopfile::DesktopFile& desktopFile) {
+                        auto fileName = desktopFile.path().filename().string();
+                        return fileName == firstDeployedDesktopFileName;
+                    }
+                );
+
+                if (desktopFileMatchingName != deployedDesktopFiles.end()) {
+                    desktopFile = *desktopFileMatchingName;
+                } else {
+                    ldLog() << LD_ERROR << "Could not find desktop file deployed earlier any more:"
+                            << firstDeployedDesktopFileName << std::endl;
+                    throw std::runtime_error("Old desktop file is not reachable.");
+                }
+            } else {
+                desktopFile = deployedDesktopFiles[0];
+                ldLog() << LD_WARNING << "No desktop file specified, using first desktop file found:"
+                        << desktopFile.path() << std::endl;
+            }
+
+        }
+        return desktopFile;
+    }
 }