diff --git a/packages/cra-template-cohtml/package.json b/packages/cra-template-cohtml/package.json
index 40bbe91d1ed..23b7f51f23f 100644
--- a/packages/cra-template-cohtml/package.json
+++ b/packages/cra-template-cohtml/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "cra-template-cohtml",
-  "version": "1.0.1",
+  "version": "1.1.0",
   "keywords": [
     "react",
     "create-react-app",
diff --git a/packages/cra-template-cohtml/template/.env b/packages/cra-template-cohtml/template/.env
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..1182b841977
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/cra-template-cohtml/template/.env
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+PLAYER_PATH = "./"
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/packages/react-scripts/package.json b/packages/react-scripts/package.json
index adf3bef6546..4916ed77ae3 100644
--- a/packages/react-scripts/package.json
+++ b/packages/react-scripts/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "react-scripts-cohtml",
-  "version": "1.0.1",
+  "version": "1.1.0",
   "description": "Configuration and scripts for Create React App with COHTML.",
   "repository": {
     "type": "git",
diff --git a/packages/react-scripts/scripts/openPlayer.js b/packages/react-scripts/scripts/openPlayer.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..2c0b8dfb7c4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/react-scripts/scripts/openPlayer.js
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+const path = require('path');
+const chalk = require('react-dev-utils/chalk');
+const fs = require('fs');
+const { execFile } = require('child_process');
+
+function openPlayer(url) {
+    return new Promise((_, reject) => {
+        if (!process.env.PLAYER_PATH) {
+            console.error(chalk.red('PLAYER_PATH environment variable not set. Set it in the ".env" file to run the player.'));
+            return reject();
+        }
+
+        const playerPath = path.resolve(__dirname, process.env.PLAYER_PATH);
+        if (!fs.existsSync(playerPath)) {
+            console.error(chalk.red(`Player not found at ${playerPath}. Set the PLAYER_PATH environment variable in the ".env" file to run the player.`));
+            return reject();
+        }
+
+        if (path.extname(process.env.PLAYER_PATH) !== '.exe') {
+            console.error(chalk.red('PLAYER_PATH environment variable should point to the player executable. Set it in the ".env" file to run the player.'));
+            return reject();
+        }
+
+
+        execFile(playerPath, ['--player', `--url=${url}`, '--root'], { stdio: 'inherit' });
+    });
+}
+
+module.exports = openPlayer;
diff --git a/packages/react-scripts/scripts/start.js b/packages/react-scripts/scripts/start.js
index 8b9a2c26b4d..a6dd5878f98 100644
--- a/packages/react-scripts/scripts/start.js
+++ b/packages/react-scripts/scripts/start.js
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ const {
   prepareProxy,
   prepareUrls,
 } = require('react-dev-utils/WebpackDevServerUtils');
-const openBrowser = require('react-dev-utils/openBrowser');
+const openPlayer = require('./openPlayer');
 const semver = require('semver');
 const paths = require('../config/paths');
 const configFactory = require('../config/webpack.config');
@@ -136,7 +136,12 @@ checkBrowsers(paths.appPath, isInteractive)
       }
 
       console.log(chalk.cyan('Starting the development server...\n'));
-      openBrowser(urls.localUrlForBrowser);
+      if (process.env.NO_PLAYER) return;
+
+      openPlayer(urls.localUrlForBrowser).catch(() => {
+          devServer.close();
+          process.exit();
+      });
     });
 
     ['SIGINT', 'SIGTERM'].forEach(function (sig) {