diff --git a/ci/release/template/man/d2.1 b/ci/release/template/man/d2.1
index 8cc62a472..0981c0226 100644
--- a/ci/release/template/man/d2.1
+++ b/ci/release/template/man/d2.1
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ Renders the diagram to look like it was sketched by hand
 Pixels padded around the rendered diagram
 .Ns .
 .It Fl -browser Ar true
-Open the browser and go to the address that watch streams updates to
+Browser executable that watch opens. Setting to 0 opens no browser
 .Ns .
 .It Fl l , -layout Ar dagre
 Set the diagram layout engine to the passed string. For a list of available options, run
diff --git a/d2cli/main.go b/d2cli/main.go
index a65d2a12e..0c5f83fac 100644
--- a/d2cli/main.go
+++ b/d2cli/main.go
@@ -83,10 +83,7 @@ func Run(ctx context.Context, ms *xmain.State) (err error) {
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	browserFlag, err := ms.Opts.Bool("BROWSER", "browser", "", true, "open the browser and go to the address that watch streams updates to")
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
+	browserFlag := ms.Opts.String("BROWSER", "browser", "", "", "browser executable that watch opens. Setting to 0 opens no browser.")
 
 	ps, err := d2plugin.ListPlugins(ctx)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -130,8 +127,8 @@ func Run(ctx context.Context, ms *xmain.State) (err error) {
 	if *debugFlag {
 		ms.Env.Setenv("DEBUG", "1")
 	}
-	if !*browserFlag {
-		ms.Env.Setenv("BROWSER", "0")
+	if *browserFlag != "" {
+		ms.Env.Setenv("BROWSER", *browserFlag)
 	}
 
 	var inputPath string