diff --git a/tools/travis/linux_install.sh b/tools/travis/linux_install.sh
index b2d11c2b842..6119e1ab2ea 100755
--- a/tools/travis/linux_install.sh
+++ b/tools/travis/linux_install.sh
@@ -12,20 +12,7 @@ if [[ "${OPTIONAL_DEPS}" == 1 ]]; then
   export C_INCLUDE_PATH=/usr/include/gdal
 
   # needed for view_graphviz and default_opener
-  DIR=~/.local/share/applications
-  mkdir -p $DIR
-  FILE=$DIR/png.desktop
-  cat <<EOF >$FILE
-[Desktop Entry]
-Name=png
-MimeType=image/png;
-Exec=/usr/bin/file
-Type=Application
-Terminal=true
-NoDisplay=true
-EOF
-
-  xdg-mime default png.desktop image/png
+  alias xdg-open="file"
 
 fi