diff --git a/qt/linux/Makefile.dist b/qt/linux/Makefile.dist
deleted file mode 100644
index 2c5823f27..000000000
--- a/qt/linux/Makefile.dist
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,40 +0,0 @@
-PREFIX=/usr/local
-
-all:
-	@echo "You can run Anki with ./bin/Anki"
-	@echo "If you wish to install it system wide, type 'sudo make install',"
-	@echo "then run with 'anki'."
-	@echo "Uninstall with 'sudo make uninstall'"
-
-install:
-	rm -rf ${PREFIX}/share/anki
-	mkdir -p ${PREFIX}/share/anki
-	cp -av * ${PREFIX}/share/anki/
-	mkdir -p ${PREFIX}/bin
-	ln -sf ${PREFIX}/share/anki/bin/Anki ${PREFIX}/bin/anki
-	# fix a previous packaging issue where we created this as a file
-	(test -f ${PREFIX}/share/applications && rm ${PREFIX}/share/applications)||true
-	mkdir -p ${PREFIX}/share/pixmaps
-	mkdir -p ${PREFIX}/share/applications
-	mkdir -p ${PREFIX}/share/man/man1
-	cd ${PREFIX}/share/anki && (\
-	mv anki.xpm anki.png ${PREFIX}/share/pixmaps/;\
-	mv anki.desktop ${PREFIX}/share/applications/;\
-	mv anki.1 ${PREFIX}/share/man/man1/)
-	xdg-mime install anki.xml --novendor
-	xdg-mime default anki.desktop application/x-colpkg
-	xdg-mime default anki.desktop application/x-apkg
-	xdg-mime default anki.desktop application/x-ankiaddon
-	@echo
-	@echo "Install complete. Type 'anki' to run."
-
-uninstall:
-	-xdg-mime uninstall ${PREFIX}/share/anki/anki.xml
-	rm -rf ${PREFIX}/share/anki
-	rm -rf ${PREFIX}/bin/anki
-	rm -rf ${PREFIX}/share/pixmaps/anki.xpm
-	rm -rf ${PREFIX}/share/pixmaps/anki.png
-	rm -rf ${PREFIX}/share/applications/anki.desktop
-	rm -rf ${PREFIX}/share/man/man1/anki.1
-	@echo
-	@echo "Uninstall complete."
diff --git a/qt/linux/README.dist b/qt/linux/README.dist
index 5ba3f62c9..7cecbdb5b 100644
--- a/qt/linux/README.dist
+++ b/qt/linux/README.dist
@@ -2,11 +2,8 @@ To run, change to this folder in a terminal and run the following command:
 
 ./bin/Anki
 
-- To install system wide, ensure you have make installed
-(eg in Ubuntu, run 'sudo apt install make' in a terminal)
-- Run 'sudo make install'
-- Start Anki with 'anki'
-- To remove in the future, run 'sudo make uninstall' from the same folder.
+- To install system wide, run 'sudo ./install.sh'
+- To remove in the future, run 'sudo ./uninstall.sh' from the same folder.
 
 To play and record audio, mpv and lame must be installed. If mpv is not
 installed or too old, Anki will try to fall back on using mplayer.
diff --git a/qt/linux/install.sh b/qt/linux/install.sh
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..49e6c1a1f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/qt/linux/install.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+set -e
+
+if [ "$PREFIX" = "" ]; then
+	PREFIX=/usr/local
+fi
+
+rm -rf ${PREFIX}/share/anki
+mkdir -p ${PREFIX}/share/anki
+cp -av * ${PREFIX}/share/anki/
+mkdir -p ${PREFIX}/bin
+ln -sf ${PREFIX}/share/anki/bin/Anki ${PREFIX}/bin/anki
+# fix a previous packaging issue where we created this as a file
+(test -f ${PREFIX}/share/applications && rm ${PREFIX}/share/applications)||true
+mkdir -p ${PREFIX}/share/pixmaps
+mkdir -p ${PREFIX}/share/applications
+mkdir -p ${PREFIX}/share/man/man1
+cd ${PREFIX}/share/anki && (\
+mv anki.xpm anki.png ${PREFIX}/share/pixmaps/;\
+mv anki.desktop ${PREFIX}/share/applications/;\
+mv anki.1 ${PREFIX}/share/man/man1/)
+
+xdg-mime install anki.xml --novendor
+xdg-mime default anki.desktop application/x-colpkg
+xdg-mime default anki.desktop application/x-apkg
+xdg-mime default anki.desktop application/x-ankiaddon
+
+echo "Install complete. Type 'anki' to run."
diff --git a/qt/linux/uninstall.sh b/qt/linux/uninstall.sh
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..77b71db78
--- /dev/null
+++ b/qt/linux/uninstall.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+set -e
+
+if [ "$PREFIX" = "" ]; then
+	PREFIX=/usr/local
+fi
+
+xdg-mime uninstall ${PREFIX}/share/anki/anki.xml || true
+
+rm -rf ${PREFIX}/share/anki
+rm -rf ${PREFIX}/bin/anki
+rm -rf ${PREFIX}/share/pixmaps/anki.xpm
+rm -rf ${PREFIX}/share/pixmaps/anki.png
+rm -rf ${PREFIX}/share/applications/anki.desktop
+rm -rf ${PREFIX}/share/man/man1/anki.1
+
+echo "Uninstall complete."