diff --git a/packages/kbn-config/src/__mocks__/env.ts b/packages/kbn-config/src/__mocks__/env.ts
index f37ac14e60235..e0f6f6add1686 100644
--- a/packages/kbn-config/src/__mocks__/env.ts
+++ b/packages/kbn-config/src/__mocks__/env.ts
@@ -30,7 +30,6 @@ export function getEnvOptions(options: DeepPartial<EnvOptions> = {}): EnvOptions
     configs: options.configs || [],
     cliArgs: {
       dev: true,
-      open: false,
       quiet: false,
       silent: false,
       watch: false,
diff --git a/packages/kbn-config/src/__snapshots__/env.test.ts.snap b/packages/kbn-config/src/__snapshots__/env.test.ts.snap
index 005fa6e680f8b..884896266344c 100644
--- a/packages/kbn-config/src/__snapshots__/env.test.ts.snap
+++ b/packages/kbn-config/src/__snapshots__/env.test.ts.snap
@@ -10,7 +10,6 @@ Env {
     "disableOptimizer": true,
     "dist": false,
     "envName": "development",
-    "open": false,
     "oss": false,
     "quiet": false,
     "repl": false,
@@ -56,7 +55,6 @@ Env {
     "disableOptimizer": true,
     "dist": false,
     "envName": "production",
-    "open": false,
     "oss": false,
     "quiet": false,
     "repl": false,
@@ -101,7 +99,6 @@ Env {
     "dev": true,
     "disableOptimizer": true,
     "dist": false,
-    "open": false,
     "oss": false,
     "quiet": false,
     "repl": false,
@@ -146,7 +143,6 @@ Env {
     "dev": false,
     "disableOptimizer": true,
     "dist": false,
-    "open": false,
     "oss": false,
     "quiet": false,
     "repl": false,
@@ -191,7 +187,6 @@ Env {
     "dev": false,
     "disableOptimizer": true,
     "dist": false,
-    "open": false,
     "oss": false,
     "quiet": false,
     "repl": false,
@@ -236,7 +231,6 @@ Env {
     "dev": false,
     "disableOptimizer": true,
     "dist": false,
-    "open": false,
     "oss": false,
     "quiet": false,
     "repl": false,
diff --git a/packages/kbn-config/src/env.ts b/packages/kbn-config/src/env.ts
index e7b4658262235..7edb4b1c8dad9 100644
--- a/packages/kbn-config/src/env.ts
+++ b/packages/kbn-config/src/env.ts
@@ -38,7 +38,6 @@ export interface CliArgs {
   watch: boolean;
   repl: boolean;
   basePath: boolean;
-  open: boolean;
   oss: boolean;
   /** @deprecated use disableOptimizer to know if the @kbn/optimizer is disabled in development */
   optimize?: boolean;
diff --git a/src/cli/cluster/cluster_manager.test.ts b/src/cli/cluster/cluster_manager.test.ts
index a8e139533d397..1d2986e742527 100644
--- a/src/cli/cluster/cluster_manager.test.ts
+++ b/src/cli/cluster/cluster_manager.test.ts
@@ -38,7 +38,6 @@ import { Worker } from './worker';
 
 const CLI_ARGS: SomeCliArgs = {
   disableOptimizer: true,
-  open: false,
   oss: false,
   quiet: false,
   repl: false,
diff --git a/src/cli/cluster/cluster_manager.ts b/src/cli/cluster/cluster_manager.ts
index 931650a67687c..f427c8750912b 100644
--- a/src/cli/cluster/cluster_manager.ts
+++ b/src/cli/cluster/cluster_manager.ts
@@ -18,10 +18,8 @@
  */
 
 import { resolve } from 'path';
-import { format as formatUrl } from 'url';
 import Fs from 'fs';
 
-import opn from 'opn';
 import { REPO_ROOT } from '@kbn/utils';
 import { FSWatcher } from 'chokidar';
 import * as Rx from 'rxjs';
@@ -43,7 +41,6 @@ export type SomeCliArgs = Pick<
   | 'silent'
   | 'repl'
   | 'disableOptimizer'
-  | 'open'
   | 'watch'
   | 'oss'
   | 'runExamples'
@@ -52,7 +49,7 @@ export type SomeCliArgs = Pick<
 >;
 
 const firstAllTrue = (...sources: Array<Rx.Observable<boolean>>) =>
-  Rx.combineLatest(...sources).pipe(
+  Rx.combineLatest(sources).pipe(
     filter((values) => values.every((v) => v === true)),
     take(1),
     mapTo(undefined)
@@ -146,17 +143,6 @@ export class ClusterManager {
       });
     });
 
-    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<string[]>('plugins.paths');
       const scanDirs = [
@@ -208,14 +194,6 @@ export class ClusterManager {
     }
   }
 
-  setupOpen(openUrl: string) {
-    firstAllTrue(this.serverReady$, this.kbnOptimizerReady$)
-      .toPromise()
-      .then(() => {
-        opn(openUrl);
-      });
-  }
-
   setupWatching(extraPaths: string[], pluginInternalDirsIgnore: string[]) {
     // eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-var-requires
     const chokidar = require('chokidar');
diff --git a/src/cli/serve/serve.js b/src/cli/serve/serve.js
index f344d3b70ed9d..2fa24cc7f3791 100644
--- a/src/cli/serve/serve.js
+++ b/src/cli/serve/serve.js
@@ -192,7 +192,6 @@ 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('--dist', 'Use production assets from kbn/optimizer')
       .option(
@@ -222,7 +221,6 @@ 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/test_helpers/kbn_server.ts b/src/core/test_helpers/kbn_server.ts
index 3bb1b202f811c..ab89d58681dcd 100644
--- a/src/core/test_helpers/kbn_server.ts
+++ b/src/core/test_helpers/kbn_server.ts
@@ -70,7 +70,6 @@ export function createRootWithSettings(
     configs: [],
     cliArgs: {
       dev: false,
-      open: false,
       quiet: false,
       silent: false,
       watch: false,