diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 787e507..09c6918 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -68,7 +68,6 @@ See this (old) video where I explain some of my motivations for creating Quickem
   * [spicy](https://gitlab.freedesktop.org/spice/spice-gtk)
   * [swtpm](https://github.com/stefanberger/swtpm)
   * [Wget](https://www.gnu.org/software/wget/)
-  * [xdg-user-dirs](https://www.freedesktop.org/wiki/Software/xdg-user-dirs/)
   * [xrandr](https://gitlab.freedesktop.org/xorg/app/xrandr)
   * [zsync](http://zsync.moria.org.uk/)
 
diff --git a/quickemu b/quickemu
index eae521c..9840ba7 100755
--- a/quickemu
+++ b/quickemu
@@ -825,15 +825,18 @@ readonly VERSION="2.2.2"
 
 # PUBLICSHARE is the only directory exposed to guest VMs for file
 # sharing via 9P and spice-webdavd. This path is not configurable.
-PUBLIC=$(xdg-user-dir PUBLICSHARE)
-if [ "${PUBLIC}" != ${HOME} ]; then
-  if [ ! -d "${PUBLIC}" ]; then
-    mkdir -p "${PUBLIC}"
+PUBLIC=""
+if command -v xdg-user-dir &>/dev/null; then
+  PUBLIC=$(xdg-user-dir PUBLICSHARE)
+  if [ "${PUBLIC%/}" != ${HOME} ]; then
+    if [ ! -d "${PUBLIC}" ]; then
+      mkdir -p "${PUBLIC}"
+    fi
+    PUBLIC_TAG=$(basename ${PUBLIC})-${USER,,}
+    PUBLIC_PERMS=$(ls -ld ${PUBLIC} | cut -d' ' -f1)
+  else
+    PUBLIC=""
   fi
-  PUBLIC_TAG=$(basename ${PUBLIC})-${USER,,}
-  PUBLIC_PERMS=$(ls -ld ${PUBLIC} | cut -d' ' -f1)
-else
-  PUBLIC=""
 fi
 
 # TODO: Make this run the native architecture binary