diff --git a/pkgs/desktops/kde-5/plasma/plasma-desktop/default.nix b/pkgs/desktops/kde-5/plasma/plasma-desktop/default.nix
index 7e8823e2db96..8d4098ca31f2 100644
--- a/pkgs/desktops/kde-5/plasma/plasma-desktop/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/desktops/kde-5/plasma/plasma-desktop/default.nix
@@ -38,4 +38,9 @@ plasmaPackage rec {
     "-DEvdev_INCLUDE_DIRS=${xf86inputevdev.dev}/include/xorg"
     "-DSynaptics_INCLUDE_DIRS=${xf86inputsynaptics.dev}/include/xorg"
   ];
+  postInstall = ''
+    # Display ~/Desktop contents on the desktop by default.
+    sed -i "$out/share/plasma/shells/org.kde.plasma.desktop/contents/defaults" \
+        -e 's/Containment=org.kde.desktopcontainment/Containment=org.kde.plasma.folder/'
+  '';
 }