diff --git a/dvclive/env.py b/dvclive/env.py
index 4ec2b06d..6daa2932 100644
--- a/dvclive/env.py
+++ b/dvclive/env.py
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+DVCLIVE_OPEN = "DVCLIVE_OPEN"
 DVCLIVE_PATH = "DVCLIVE_PATH"
 DVCLIVE_SUMMARY = "DVCLIVE_SUMMARY"
 DVCLIVE_HTML = "DVCLIVE_HTML"
diff --git a/dvclive/live.py b/dvclive/live.py
index 67c6de40..c4f4cd16 100644
--- a/dvclive/live.py
+++ b/dvclive/live.py
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 from pathlib import Path
 from typing import Any, Dict, Optional, Union
 
+from . import env
 from .data import DATA_TYPES, PLOTS, Image, Scalar
 from .dvc import make_checkpoint
 from .error import (
@@ -15,7 +16,7 @@
     InvalidPlotTypeError,
 )
 from .report import html_report
-from .utils import nested_update, open_file_in_browser
+from .utils import env2bool, nested_update, open_file_in_browser
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
@@ -28,14 +29,12 @@ def __init__(
         path: Optional[str] = None,
         resume: bool = False,
         report: Optional[str] = "html",
-        auto_open: bool = False,
     ):
 
         self._path: Optional[str] = path
         self._resume: bool = resume
         self._report: str = report
         self._checkpoint: bool = False
-        self._auto_open: bool = auto_open
         self.html_path = None
 
         self.init_from_env()
@@ -77,23 +76,19 @@ def _init_paths(self):
         os.makedirs(self.dir, exist_ok=True)
 
     def init_from_env(self) -> None:
-        from . import env
+        if os.getenv(env.DVCLIVE_PATH):
 
-        if env.DVCLIVE_PATH in os.environ:
-
-            if self.dir and self.dir != os.environ[env.DVCLIVE_PATH]:
+            if self.dir and self.dir != os.getenv(env.DVCLIVE_PATH):
                 raise ConfigMismatchError(self)
 
             env_config = {
-                "_path": os.environ.get(env.DVCLIVE_PATH),
-                "_checkpoint": bool(
-                    int(os.environ.get(env.DVC_CHECKPOINT, "0"))
-                ),
-                "_resume": bool(int(os.environ.get(env.DVCLIVE_RESUME, "0"))),
+                "_path": os.getenv(env.DVCLIVE_PATH),
+                "_checkpoint": env2bool(env.DVC_CHECKPOINT),
+                "_resume": env2bool(env.DVCLIVE_RESUME),
             }
 
             # Keeping backward compatibility with `live` section
-            if not bool(int(os.environ.get(env.DVCLIVE_HTML, "0"))):
+            if not env2bool(env.DVCLIVE_HTML, "0"):
                 env_config["_report"] = None
             else:
                 path = str(env_config["_path"])
@@ -196,9 +191,8 @@ def make_summary(self):
     def make_report(self):
         if self._report == "html":
             html_report(self.dir, self.summary_path, self.html_path)
-            if self._auto_open:
+            if env2bool(env.DVCLIVE_OPEN):
                 open_file_in_browser(self.html_path)
-                self._auto_open = False
 
     def read_step(self):
         if Path(self.summary_path).exists():
diff --git a/dvclive/utils.py b/dvclive/utils.py
index 9c881c41..25f0bb64 100644
--- a/dvclive/utils.py
+++ b/dvclive/utils.py
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 import base64
 import csv
+import os
+import re
 import webbrowser
 from collections.abc import Mapping
 from pathlib import Path
@@ -45,8 +47,29 @@ def to_base64_url(image_file):
     return f"data:image;base64,{base64_str}"
 
 
+def run_once(f):
+    def wrapper(*args, **kwargs):
+        if not wrapper.has_run:
+            wrapper.has_run = True
+            return f(*args, **kwargs)
+
+    wrapper.has_run = False
+    return wrapper
+
+
+@run_once
 def open_file_in_browser(file) -> bool:
     path = Path(file)
     url = path if "Microsoft" in uname().release else path.resolve().as_uri()
 
     return webbrowser.open(url)
+
+
+def env2bool(var, undefined=False):
+    """
+    undefined: return value if env var is unset
+    """
+    var = os.getenv(var, None)
+    if var is None:
+        return undefined
+    return bool(re.search("1|y|yes|true", var, flags=re.I))
diff --git a/tests/test_report.py b/tests/test_report.py
index 664146f5..167a336b 100644
--- a/tests/test_report.py
+++ b/tests/test_report.py
@@ -1,12 +1,14 @@
 # pylint: disable=unused-argument
 import os
 
+import pytest
 from PIL import Image
 
 from dvclive import Live
 from dvclive.data import Image as LiveImage
 from dvclive.data import Scalar
 from dvclive.data.plot import ConfusionMatrix, Plot
+from dvclive.env import DVCLIVE_OPEN
 from dvclive.report import (
     get_image_renderers,
     get_plot_renderers,
@@ -58,7 +60,8 @@ def test_get_renderers(tmp_dir, mocker):
     assert plot_renderers[0].properties == ConfusionMatrix.get_properties()
 
 
-def test_make_report_open(tmp_dir, mocker):
+@pytest.mark.vscode
+def test_make_report_open(tmp_dir, mocker, monkeypatch):
     mocked_open = mocker.patch("webbrowser.open")
     live = Live()
     live.log_plot("confusion_matrix", [0, 0, 1, 1], [1, 0, 0, 1])
@@ -67,15 +70,15 @@ def test_make_report_open(tmp_dir, mocker):
 
     assert not mocked_open.called
 
-    mocked_open = mocker.patch("webbrowser.open")
     live = Live(report=None)
     live.log("foo", 1)
     live.next_step()
 
     assert not mocked_open.called
 
-    mocked_open = mocker.patch("webbrowser.open")
-    live = Live(auto_open=True)
+    monkeypatch.setenv(DVCLIVE_OPEN, True)
+
+    live = Live()
     live.log_plot("confusion_matrix", [0, 0, 1, 1], [1, 0, 0, 1])
     live.make_report()