diff --git a/build/tasks/build-task.coffee b/build/tasks/build-task.coffee
index f49e1ac49..fcb1eb6a8 100644
--- a/build/tasks/build-task.coffee
+++ b/build/tasks/build-task.coffee
@@ -160,6 +160,9 @@ module.exports = (grunt) ->
       cp path.join('resources', 'win', 'atom.js'), path.join(shellAppDir, 'resources', 'cli', 'atom.js')
       cp path.join('resources', 'win', 'apm.sh'), path.join(shellAppDir, 'resources', 'cli', 'apm.sh')
 
+    if process.platform is 'linux'
+      cp path.join('resources', 'linux', 'icons'), path.join(buildDir, 'icons')
+
     dependencies = ['compile', 'generate-license:save', 'generate-module-cache', 'compile-packages-slug']
     dependencies.push('copy-info-plist') if process.platform is 'darwin'
     dependencies.push('set-exe-icon') if process.platform is 'win32'
diff --git a/build/tasks/mkrpm-task.coffee b/build/tasks/mkrpm-task.coffee
index 8cec64196..8436fea7a 100644
--- a/build/tasks/mkrpm-task.coffee
+++ b/build/tasks/mkrpm-task.coffee
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ module.exports = (grunt) ->
 
     installDir = grunt.config.get('atom.installDir')
     shareDir = path.join(installDir, 'share', 'atom')
-    iconName = path.join(shareDir, 'resources', 'app', 'resources', 'atom.png')
+    iconName = 'atom'
     executable = 'atom'
 
     data = {name, version, description, installDir, iconName, executable}
diff --git a/resources/linux/redhat/atom.spec.in b/resources/linux/redhat/atom.spec.in
index 79dc9be40..369aeea70 100644
--- a/resources/linux/redhat/atom.spec.in
+++ b/resources/linux/redhat/atom.spec.in
@@ -20,8 +20,16 @@ chmod 755 %{buildroot}/<%= installDir %>/bin/atom
 mkdir -p %{buildroot}/<%= installDir %>/share/applications/
 cp atom.desktop %{buildroot}/<%= installDir %>/share/applications/
 
+# copy over icons in sizes that most desktop environments like
+for i in 1024 512 256 128 64 48 32 24 16
+do
+    mkdir -p %{buildroot}/<%= installDir %>/share/icons/hicolor/${i}x${i}/apps
+    cp icons/${i}.png %{buildroot}/<%= installDir %>/share/icons/hicolor/${i}x${i}/apps/atom.png
+done
+
 %files
 <%= installDir %>/bin/atom
 <%= installDir %>/bin/apm
 <%= installDir %>/share/atom/
 <%= installDir %>/share/applications/atom.desktop
+<%= installDir %>/share/icons/hicolor/
diff --git a/script/mkrpm b/script/mkrpm
index 34b0b1d6d..c9ba2d7f7 100755
--- a/script/mkrpm
+++ b/script/mkrpm
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ ARCH=`uname -m`
 rpmdev-setuptree
 
 cp -r $BUILD_DIRECTORY/Atom $RPM_BUILD_ROOT/BUILD
+cp -r $BUILD_DIRECTORY/icons $RPM_BUILD_ROOT/BUILD
 cp $SPEC_FILE $RPM_BUILD_ROOT/SPECS
 cp ./atom.sh $RPM_BUILD_ROOT/BUILD
 cp $DESKTOP_FILE $RPM_BUILD_ROOT/BUILD