diff --git a/gnu/packages/mate.scm b/gnu/packages/mate.scm
index eaafc5db63..f5d0b834b6 100644
--- a/gnu/packages/mate.scm
+++ b/gnu/packages/mate.scm
@@ -1551,6 +1551,7 @@ (define-public mate
             (union-build (assoc-ref %outputs "out")
                          directories)
             #t)))))
+    (native-inputs `(("desktop-file-utils" ,desktop-file-utils)))
     (inputs
      ;; TODO: Add more packages
      `(("at-spi2-core"              ,at-spi2-core)
@@ -1558,7 +1559,6 @@ (define-public mate
        ("caja"                      ,caja)
        ("dbus"                      ,dbus)
        ("dconf"                     ,dconf)
-       ("desktop-file-utils"        ,desktop-file-utils)
        ("engrampa"                  ,engrampa)
        ("eom"                       ,eom)
        ("font-cantarell"            ,font-cantarell)