diff --git a/osu.Desktop/Properties/launchSettings.json b/osu.Desktop/Properties/launchSettings.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..3842c10a4e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/osu.Desktop/Properties/launchSettings.json
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+{
+  "profiles": {
+    "osu.Desktop": {
+      // this avoids an ugly command window appearing when running without debugger attached from VS2017
+      "commandName": "Executable",
+      "executablePath": ".\\osu!.exe"
+    }
+  }
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/osu.Desktop/osu.Desktop.csproj b/osu.Desktop/osu.Desktop.csproj
index cca7e70632..7dfb2aa6cb 100644
--- a/osu.Desktop/osu.Desktop.csproj
+++ b/osu.Desktop/osu.Desktop.csproj
@@ -23,6 +23,9 @@
   <PropertyGroup Label="Defines">
     <DefineConstants Condition="'$(TargetFramework)' == 'net461'">$(DefineConstants);NET_FRAMEWORK</DefineConstants>
   </PropertyGroup>
+  <PropertyGroup>
+    <StartupObject>osu.Desktop.Program</StartupObject>
+  </PropertyGroup>
   <ItemGroup Label="Project References">
     <ProjectReference Include="..\osu-framework\osu.Framework\osu.Framework.csproj" />
     <ProjectReference Include="..\osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu\osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu.csproj" />