diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 80773a932f837..0259e8d3bee0e 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -150,6 +150,7 @@
     "ngreact": "0.5.1",
     "no-ui-slider": "1.2.0",
     "node-fetch": "1.3.2",
+    "opn": "^5.4.0",
     "oppsy": "^2.0.0",
     "pegjs": "0.9.0",
     "postcss-loader": "2.0.6",
@@ -252,6 +253,7 @@
     "@types/moment-timezone": "^0.5.8",
     "@types/mustache": "^0.8.31",
     "@types/node": "^8.10.20",
+    "@types/opn": "^5.1.0",
     "@types/prop-types": "^15.5.3",
     "@types/puppeteer": "^1.6.2",
     "@types/react": "16.3.14",
diff --git a/src/cli/cluster/cluster_manager.js b/src/cli/cluster/cluster_manager.js
index 2aafd44aabc6b..347391dfe8e06 100644
--- a/src/cli/cluster/cluster_manager.js
+++ b/src/cli/cluster/cluster_manager.js
@@ -18,9 +18,12 @@
  */
 
 import { resolve } from 'path';
+import { format as formatUrl } from 'url';
+import opn from 'opn';
+
 import { debounce, invoke, bindAll, once, uniq } from 'lodash';
-import { fromEvent, race } from 'rxjs';
-import { first } from 'rxjs/operators';
+import * as Rx from 'rxjs';
+import { first, mapTo, filter, map, take } from 'rxjs/operators';
 
 import Log from '../log';
 import Worker from './worker';
@@ -88,6 +91,15 @@ export default class ClusterManager {
 
     bindAll(this, 'onWatcherAdd', 'onWatcherError', 'onWatcherChange');
 
+    if (opts.open) {
+      this.setupOpen(formatUrl({
+        protocol: config.get('server.ssl.enabled') ? 'https' : 'http',
+        hostname: config.get('server.host'),
+        port: config.get('server.port'),
+        pathname: (this.basePathProxy ? this.basePathProxy.basePath : ''),
+      }));
+    }
+
     if (opts.watch) {
       const pluginPaths = config.get('plugins.paths');
       const scanDirs = config.get('plugins.scanDirs');
@@ -124,6 +136,28 @@ export default class ClusterManager {
     }
   }
 
+  setupOpen(openUrl) {
+    const serverListening$ = Rx.merge(
+      Rx.fromEvent(this.server, 'listening')
+        .pipe(mapTo(true)),
+      Rx.fromEvent(this.server, 'fork:exit')
+        .pipe(mapTo(false)),
+      Rx.fromEvent(this.server, 'crashed')
+        .pipe(mapTo(false))
+    );
+
+    const optimizeSuccess$ = Rx.fromEvent(this.optimizer, 'optimizeStatus')
+      .pipe(map(msg => !!msg.success));
+
+    Rx.combineLatest(serverListening$, optimizeSuccess$)
+      .pipe(
+        filter(([serverListening, optimizeSuccess]) => serverListening && optimizeSuccess),
+        take(1),
+      )
+      .toPromise()
+      .then(() => opn(openUrl));
+  }
+
   setupWatching(extraPaths, extraIgnores) {
     const chokidar = require('chokidar');
     const { fromRoot } = require('../../utils');
@@ -229,7 +263,10 @@ export default class ClusterManager {
       return Promise.resolve();
     }
 
-    return race(fromEvent(this.server, 'listening'), fromEvent(this.server, 'crashed'))
+    return Rx.race(
+      Rx.fromEvent(this.server, 'listening'),
+      Rx.fromEvent(this.server, 'crashed')
+    )
       .pipe(first())
       .toPromise();
   }
diff --git a/src/cli/cluster/worker.js b/src/cli/cluster/worker.js
index a7176bc0c734c..2d7c870d38522 100644
--- a/src/cli/cluster/worker.js
+++ b/src/cli/cluster/worker.js
@@ -125,6 +125,9 @@ export default class Worker extends EventEmitter {
       case 'WORKER_BROADCAST':
         this.emit('broadcast', data);
         break;
+      case 'OPTIMIZE_STATUS':
+        this.emit('optimizeStatus', data);
+        break;
       case 'WORKER_LISTENING':
         this.listening = true;
         this.emit('listening');
diff --git a/src/cli/serve/serve.js b/src/cli/serve/serve.js
index e1d0421003e07..8de60c209dc7c 100644
--- a/src/cli/serve/serve.js
+++ b/src/cli/serve/serve.js
@@ -191,6 +191,7 @@ export default function (program) {
   if (CAN_CLUSTER) {
     command
       .option('--dev', 'Run the server with development mode defaults')
+      .option('--open', 'Open a browser window to the base url after the server is started')
       .option('--ssl', 'Run the dev server using HTTPS')
       .option('--no-base-path', 'Don\'t put a proxy in front of the dev server, which adds a random basePath')
       .option('--no-watch', 'Prevents automatic restarts of the server in --dev mode');
@@ -214,6 +215,7 @@ export default function (program) {
         configs: [].concat(opts.config || []),
         cliArgs: {
           dev: !!opts.dev,
+          open: !!opts.open,
           envName: unknownOptions.env ? unknownOptions.env.name : undefined,
           quiet: !!opts.quiet,
           silent: !!opts.silent,
diff --git a/src/core/server/config/__mocks__/env.ts b/src/core/server/config/__mocks__/env.ts
index 839b3d4983462..2f9c0575858c3 100644
--- a/src/core/server/config/__mocks__/env.ts
+++ b/src/core/server/config/__mocks__/env.ts
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ export function getEnvOptions(options: DeepPartial<EnvOptions> = {}): EnvOptions
     configs: options.configs || [],
     cliArgs: {
       dev: true,
+      open: false,
       quiet: false,
       silent: false,
       watch: false,
diff --git a/src/core/server/config/__snapshots__/env.test.ts.snap b/src/core/server/config/__snapshots__/env.test.ts.snap
index ebe6c4ea83470..71609bf130142 100644
--- a/src/core/server/config/__snapshots__/env.test.ts.snap
+++ b/src/core/server/config/__snapshots__/env.test.ts.snap
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ Env {
     "basePath": false,
     "dev": true,
     "envName": "development",
+    "open": false,
     "optimize": false,
     "quiet": false,
     "repl": false,
@@ -43,6 +44,7 @@ Env {
     "basePath": false,
     "dev": false,
     "envName": "production",
+    "open": false,
     "optimize": false,
     "quiet": false,
     "repl": false,
@@ -78,6 +80,7 @@ Env {
   "cliArgs": Object {
     "basePath": false,
     "dev": true,
+    "open": false,
     "optimize": false,
     "quiet": false,
     "repl": false,
@@ -113,6 +116,7 @@ Env {
   "cliArgs": Object {
     "basePath": false,
     "dev": false,
+    "open": false,
     "optimize": false,
     "quiet": false,
     "repl": false,
@@ -148,6 +152,7 @@ Env {
   "cliArgs": Object {
     "basePath": false,
     "dev": false,
+    "open": false,
     "optimize": false,
     "quiet": false,
     "repl": false,
@@ -183,6 +188,7 @@ Env {
   "cliArgs": Object {
     "basePath": false,
     "dev": false,
+    "open": false,
     "optimize": false,
     "quiet": false,
     "repl": false,
diff --git a/src/core/server/config/env.ts b/src/core/server/config/env.ts
index b5a1092724b84..516d6626296a1 100644
--- a/src/core/server/config/env.ts
+++ b/src/core/server/config/env.ts
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ export interface CliArgs {
   repl: boolean;
   basePath: boolean;
   optimize: boolean;
+  open: boolean;
 }
 
 export class Env {
diff --git a/src/core/server/legacy_compat/__snapshots__/legacy_service.test.ts.snap b/src/core/server/legacy_compat/__snapshots__/legacy_service.test.ts.snap
index ea64afb06caf7..1734a88912aec 100644
--- a/src/core/server/legacy_compat/__snapshots__/legacy_service.test.ts.snap
+++ b/src/core/server/legacy_compat/__snapshots__/legacy_service.test.ts.snap
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ Array [
     Object {
       "basePath": true,
       "dev": true,
+      "open": false,
       "optimize": false,
       "quiet": true,
       "repl": false,
@@ -59,6 +60,7 @@ Array [
     Object {
       "basePath": false,
       "dev": true,
+      "open": false,
       "optimize": false,
       "quiet": false,
       "repl": false,
diff --git a/src/optimize/watch/optmzr_role.js b/src/optimize/watch/optmzr_role.js
index d774a421c6f13..e96e98a339f3f 100644
--- a/src/optimize/watch/optmzr_role.js
+++ b/src/optimize/watch/optmzr_role.js
@@ -18,23 +18,33 @@
  */
 
 import WatchServer from './watch_server';
-import WatchOptimizer from './watch_optimizer';
+import WatchOptimizer, { STATUS } from './watch_optimizer';
 
 export default async (kbnServer, kibanaHapiServer, config) => {
+  const watchOptimizer = new WatchOptimizer({
+    log: (tags, data) => kibanaHapiServer.log(tags, data),
+    uiBundles: kbnServer.uiBundles,
+    profile: config.get('optimize.profile'),
+    sourceMaps: config.get('optimize.sourceMaps'),
+    prebuild: config.get('optimize.watchPrebuild'),
+    unsafeCache: config.get('optimize.unsafeCache'),
+  });
+
   const server = new WatchServer(
     config.get('optimize.watchHost'),
     config.get('optimize.watchPort'),
     config.get('server.basePath'),
-    new WatchOptimizer({
-      log: (tags, data) => kibanaHapiServer.log(tags, data),
-      uiBundles: kbnServer.uiBundles,
-      profile: config.get('optimize.profile'),
-      sourceMaps: config.get('optimize.sourceMaps'),
-      prebuild: config.get('optimize.watchPrebuild'),
-      unsafeCache: config.get('optimize.unsafeCache'),
-    })
+    watchOptimizer
   );
 
+  watchOptimizer.status$.subscribe({
+    next(status) {
+      process.send(['OPTIMIZE_STATUS', {
+        success: status.type === STATUS.SUCCESS
+      }]);
+    }
+  });
+
   let ready = false;
 
   const sendReady = () => {
diff --git a/src/optimize/watch/watch_optimizer.js b/src/optimize/watch/watch_optimizer.js
index 8adacf880680d..7c033d50bf922 100644
--- a/src/optimize/watch/watch_optimizer.js
+++ b/src/optimize/watch/watch_optimizer.js
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ import BaseOptimizer from '../base_optimizer';
 
 import { createBundlesRoute } from '../bundles_route';
 
-const STATUS = {
+export const STATUS = {
   RUNNING: 'optimizer running',
   SUCCESS: 'optimizer completed successfully',
   FAILURE: 'optimizer failed with stats',
diff --git a/src/test_utils/kbn_server.ts b/src/test_utils/kbn_server.ts
index e124bde041b07..d99c7d9c434a3 100644
--- a/src/test_utils/kbn_server.ts
+++ b/src/test_utils/kbn_server.ts
@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@ export function createRootWithSettings(...settings: Array<Record<string, any>>)
     configs: [],
     cliArgs: {
       dev: false,
+      open: false,
       quiet: false,
       silent: false,
       watch: false,
diff --git a/yarn.lock b/yarn.lock
index 45a2c63a912e1..c39057fff2585 100644
--- a/yarn.lock
+++ b/yarn.lock
@@ -887,6 +887,13 @@
   resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/@types/node/-/node-8.10.21.tgz#12b3f2359b27aa05a45d886c8ba1eb8d1a77e285"
   integrity sha512-87XkD9qDXm8fIax+5y7drx84cXsu34ZZqfB7Cial3Q/2lxSoJ/+DRaWckkCbxP41wFSIrrb939VhzaNxj4eY1w==
 
+"@types/opn@^5.1.0":
+  version "5.1.0"
+  resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/@types/opn/-/opn-5.1.0.tgz#bff7bc371677f4bdbb37884400e03fd81f743927"
+  integrity sha512-TNPrB7Y1xl06zDI0aGyqkgxjhIev3oJ+cdqlZ52MTAHauWpEL/gIUdHebIfRHFZk9IqSBpE2ci1DT48iZH81yg==
+  dependencies:
+    "@types/node" "*"
+
 "@types/p-cancelable@^0.3.0":
   version "0.3.0"
   resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/@types/p-cancelable/-/p-cancelable-0.3.0.tgz#3e4fcc54a3dfd81d0f5b93546bb68d0df50553bb"
@@ -8880,6 +8887,11 @@ is-word-character@^1.0.0:
   resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/is-word-character/-/is-word-character-1.0.1.tgz#5a03fa1ea91ace8a6eb0c7cd770eb86d65c8befb"
   integrity sha1-WgP6HqkazopusMfNdw64bWXIvvs=
 
+is-wsl@^1.1.0:
+  version "1.1.0"
+  resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/is-wsl/-/is-wsl-1.1.0.tgz#1f16e4aa22b04d1336b66188a66af3c600c3a66d"
+  integrity sha1-HxbkqiKwTRM2tmGIpmrzxgDDpm0=
+
 isarray@0.0.1:
   version "0.0.1"
   resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/isarray/-/isarray-0.0.1.tgz#8a18acfca9a8f4177e09abfc6038939b05d1eedf"
@@ -11855,6 +11867,13 @@ onetime@^2.0.0:
   dependencies:
     mimic-fn "^1.0.0"
 
+opn@^5.4.0:
+  version "5.4.0"
+  resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/opn/-/opn-5.4.0.tgz#cb545e7aab78562beb11aa3bfabc7042e1761035"
+  integrity sha512-YF9MNdVy/0qvJvDtunAOzFw9iasOQHpVthTCvGzxt61Il64AYSGdK+rYwld7NAfk9qJ7dt+hymBNSc9LNYS+Sw==
+  dependencies:
+    is-wsl "^1.1.0"
+
 oppsy@2.x.x, oppsy@^2.0.0:
   version "2.0.0"
   resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/oppsy/-/oppsy-2.0.0.tgz#3a194517adc24c3c61cdc56f35f4537e93a35e34"