diff --git a/constructor/nsis/main.nsi.tmpl b/constructor/nsis/main.nsi.tmpl
index 0dd0f7422..f4af69c19 100644
--- a/constructor/nsis/main.nsi.tmpl
+++ b/constructor/nsis/main.nsi.tmpl
@@ -911,12 +911,6 @@ Section "Install"
     SetOutPath "$INSTDIR\conda-meta"
     File __CONDA_HISTORY__
 
-    # Not needed anymore thanks to the new --shortcuts-only arg, set above in @SHORTCUTS@
-    # DetailPrint "Creating @NAME@ menus..."
-    # push '"$INSTDIR\_conda.exe" constructor --prefix "$INSTDIR" --make-menus @MENU_PKGS@'
-    # push 'Failed to create menus'
-    # call AbortRetryNSExecWait
-
     push '"$INSTDIR\pythonw.exe" -E -s "$INSTDIR\Lib\_nsis.py" mkdirs'
     push 'Failed to initialize Anaconda directories'
     call AbortRetryNSExecWait
diff --git a/constructor/osxpkg.py b/constructor/osxpkg.py
index 93f385dba..9e283e617 100644
--- a/constructor/osxpkg.py
+++ b/constructor/osxpkg.py
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 import xml.etree.ElementTree as ET
 
 import constructor.preconda as preconda
-from constructor.utils import add_condarc, get_final_channels, rm_rf
+from constructor.utils import add_condarc, get_final_channels, rm_rf, shortcuts_flags
 
 
 OSX_DIR = join(dirname(__file__), "osx")
@@ -143,14 +143,7 @@ def move_script(src, dst, info):
     data = data.replace('__NAME__', info['name'])
     data = data.replace('__CHANNELS__', ','.join(get_final_channels(info)))
     data = data.replace('__WRITE_CONDARC__', '\n'.join(add_condarc(info)))
-
-    if info.get("menu_packages"):
-        data = data.replace(
-            '__SHORTCUTS__',
-            " ".join([f"--shortcuts-only={pkg.strip()}" for pkg in info['menu_packages']])
-        )
-    else:
-        data = data.replace('__SHORTCUTS__', "")
+    data = data.replace('__SHORTCUTS__', shortcuts_flags(info))
 
     with open(dst, 'w') as fo:
         fo.write(data)
diff --git a/constructor/shar.py b/constructor/shar.py
index d08612541..1d0e03e4e 100644
--- a/constructor/shar.py
+++ b/constructor/shar.py
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
 from .construct import ns_platform
 from .preconda import files as preconda_files, write_files as preconda_write_files
 from .utils import add_condarc, filename_dist, fill_template, hash_files, preprocess, \
-    read_ascii_only, get_final_channels
+    read_ascii_only, get_final_channels, shortcuts_flags
 
 THIS_DIR = dirname(__file__)
 
@@ -72,15 +72,11 @@ def get_header(conda_exec, tarball, info):
         'INSTALL_COMMANDS': '\n'.join(install_lines),
         'CHANNELS': ','.join(get_final_channels(info)),
         'pycache': '__pycache__',
+        'SHORTCUTS': shortcuts_flags(info),
     }
     if has_license:
         replace['LICENSE'] = read_ascii_only(info['license_file'])
 
-    if info.get("menu_packages"):
-        replace['SHORTCUTS'] = " ".join([f"--shortcuts-only={pkg.strip()}" for pkg in info['menu_packages']])
-    else:
-        replace['SHORTCUTS'] = ""
-
     data = read_header_template()
     data = preprocess(data, ppd)
     data = fill_template(data, replace)
diff --git a/constructor/utils.py b/constructor/utils.py
index 7ede63b57..18300c537 100644
--- a/constructor/utils.py
+++ b/constructor/utils.py
@@ -175,3 +175,18 @@ def yield_lines(path):
         if not line or line.startswith('#'):
             continue
         yield line
+
+
+def shortcuts_flags(info):
+    menu_packages = info.get("menu_packages")
+    if menu_packages is None:
+        # not set: we create all shortcuts (default behaviour)
+        shortcuts = ""
+    elif menu_packages:
+        # set and populated: we only create shortcuts for some
+        shortcuts = ' '.join([f'--shortcuts-only="{pkg}"' for pkg in menu_packages])
+    else:
+        # set but empty: disable all shortcuts
+        shortcuts = "--no-shortcuts"
+    
+    return shortcuts
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/constructor/winexe.py b/constructor/winexe.py
index 72313ad52..20776b97f 100644
--- a/constructor/winexe.py
+++ b/constructor/winexe.py
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
 from .imaging import write_images
 from .preconda import write_files as preconda_write_files
 from .utils import (filename_dist, fill_template, make_VIProductVersion,
-                    preprocess, add_condarc, get_final_channels)
+                    preprocess, add_condarc, get_final_channels, shortcuts_flags)
 
 THIS_DIR = abspath(dirname(__file__))
 NSIS_DIR = join(THIS_DIR, 'nsis')
@@ -115,17 +115,6 @@ def make_nsi(info, dir_path):
     approx_pkgs_size_kb = int(
         math.ceil(info.get('_approx_pkgs_size', 0) / 1000))
 
-    menu_packages = info.get("menu_packages")
-    if menu_packages is None:
-        # not set: we create all shortcuts (default behaviour)
-        shortcuts = ""
-    elif menu_packages:
-        # set and populated: we only create shortcuts for some
-        shortcuts = ' '.join([f'--shortcuts-only="{pkg}"' for pkg in menu_packages])
-    else:
-        # set but empty: disable all shortcuts
-        shortcuts = "--no-shortcuts"
-
     # these are unescaped (and unquoted)
     for key, value in [
         ('@NAME@', name),
@@ -133,7 +122,7 @@ def make_nsi(info, dir_path):
         ('@BITS@', str(arch)),
         ('@PKG_COMMANDS@', '\n    '.join(pkg_commands(download_dir, dists))),
         ('@WRITE_CONDARC@', '\n    '.join(add_condarc(info))),
-        ('@SHORTCUTS@', shortcuts),
+        ('@SHORTCUTS@', shortcuts_flags(info)),
         ('@SIZE@', str(approx_pkgs_size_kb)),
         ('@UNINSTALL_NAME@', info.get('uninstall_name',
                                       '${NAME} ${VERSION} (Python ${PYVERSION} ${ARCH})'