diff --git a/mate_menu/plugins/places.py b/mate_menu/plugins/places.py
index 3b8190e..4a0da36 100644
--- a/mate_menu/plugins/places.py
+++ b/mate_menu/plugins/places.py
@@ -172,11 +172,7 @@ class pluginclass( object ):
             # Determine where the Desktop folder is (could be localized)
             desktopDir = os.path.join(os.environ["HOME"] + "Desktop")
             try:
-                from configobj import ConfigObj
-                configPath = os.environ.get("XDG_CONFIG_HOME",
-                                            os.path.join( os.environ["HOME"], ".config"))
-                config = ConfigObj(os.path.join(configPath, "user-dirs.dirs"))
-                tmpdesktopDir = os.path.expandvars(config['XDG_DESKTOP_DIR'])
+                tmpdesktopDir = subprocess.check_output(['xdg-user-dir', 'DESKTOP']).decode().rstrip()
                 if os.path.exists(tmpdesktopDir):
                     desktopDir = tmpdesktopDir
             except Exception as detail: