diff --git a/app/main/plugins/core/basic-apps/index.js b/app/main/plugins/core/basic-apps/index.js
index 85e455c1..c27f01f6 100644
--- a/app/main/plugins/core/basic-apps/index.js
+++ b/app/main/plugins/core/basic-apps/index.js
@@ -3,15 +3,18 @@ import Preview from './Preview'
 import { search } from 'cerebro-tools'
 import uniq from 'lodash/uniq'
 import initializeAsync from './initializeAsync'
-import { shell } from 'electron'
+
+const { openApp } = process.platform === 'win32'
+  ? require('./windows')
+  : require('./linux')
 
 let appsList = []
 
 const toString = (app) => `${app.name} ${app.filename}`
 
 const fn = ({ term, actions, display }) => {
-  const result = search(appsList, term, toString).map(file => {
-    const { path, name, description } = file
+  const result = search(appsList, term, toString).map(app => {
+    const { path, name, description } = app
     return {
       id: path,
       title: name,
@@ -25,7 +28,7 @@ const fn = ({ term, actions, display }) => {
           event.preventDefault()
         }
       },
-      onSelect: () => shell.openItem(path),
+      onSelect: () => openApp(app),
       getPreview: () => <Preview name={name} path={path} />
     }
   })
diff --git a/app/main/plugins/core/basic-apps/initializeAsync.js b/app/main/plugins/core/basic-apps/initializeAsync.js
index a6b8e8b1..b5bdb63e 100644
--- a/app/main/plugins/core/basic-apps/initializeAsync.js
+++ b/app/main/plugins/core/basic-apps/initializeAsync.js
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ export default (callback) => {
   })
 
   const searchApps = () => getAppsList().then(apps => {
-    const json = JSON.stringify(process.env.NODE_ENV)
+    const json = JSON.stringify(apps)
     fs.writeFile(CACHE_FILE, json, cacheOptions)
     callback(apps)
   })
diff --git a/app/main/plugins/core/basic-apps/linux.js b/app/main/plugins/core/basic-apps/linux.js
index 529a9619..2ffc38c6 100644
--- a/app/main/plugins/core/basic-apps/linux.js
+++ b/app/main/plugins/core/basic-apps/linux.js
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import { remote } from 'electron'
 import path from 'path'
 import fs from 'fs'
 import uniq from 'lodash/uniq'
+import { shellCommand } from 'cerebro-tools'
 
 let appDirs = [
   path.join(remote.app.getPath('home'), '.local', 'share')
@@ -23,6 +24,8 @@ export const DIRECTORIES = uniq([
 
 export const EXTENSIONS = ['desktop']
 
+export const openApp = (app) => shellCommand(app.exec)
+
 const parseDesktopFile = (filePath, mapping) => {
   const content = fs.readFileSync(filePath, 'utf-8')
   return Object.keys(mapping).reduce((acc, key) => {
diff --git a/app/main/plugins/core/basic-apps/windows.js b/app/main/plugins/core/basic-apps/windows.js
index 7934f756..dbb87c02 100644
--- a/app/main/plugins/core/basic-apps/windows.js
+++ b/app/main/plugins/core/basic-apps/windows.js
@@ -1,7 +1,22 @@
 import path from 'path'
+import { shell } from 'electron'
 
 const { APPDATA, ProgramData, USERPROFILE } = process.env
 
+const parseFile = (filePath) => {
+  try {
+    const details = shell.readShortcutLink(filePath)
+    return {
+      path: details.target,
+      description: details.description
+    }
+  } catch (e) {
+    return {
+      path: filePath
+    }
+  }
+}
+
 export const DIRECTORIES = [
   USERPROFILE && `${USERPROFILE}\\Desktop\\`,
   APPDATA && `${APPDATA}\\Microsoft\\Windows\\Start Menu\\Programs\\`,
@@ -10,8 +25,10 @@ export const DIRECTORIES = [
 
 export const EXTENSIONS = ['lnk', 'exe']
 
+export const openApp = (appPath) => shell.openItem(appPath)
+
 export const formatPath = (filePath) => ({
-  path: filePath,
+  ...parseFile(filePath),
   filename: path.basename(filePath),
   name: path.basename(filePath).replace(/\.(exe|lnk)/, ''),
 })