diff --git a/src/Configuration.php b/src/Configuration.php
index bf3c458f..5c4a13c7 100644
--- a/src/Configuration.php
+++ b/src/Configuration.php
@@ -105,6 +105,17 @@ public function withHost(?string $host): self
         return $this;
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Sets the URL of an already-running Playwright server (e.g. http://192.168.1.100:9999).
+     * When set, the plugin connects to this server instead of starting a local one.
+     */
+    public function withPlaywrightServer(?string $serverUrl): self
+    {
+        Playwright::setPlaywrightServerUrl($serverUrl);
+
+        return $this;
+    }
+
     /**
      * Enables debug mode for assertions.
      */
diff --git a/src/Playwright/Playwright.php b/src/Playwright/Playwright.php
index c0cffae1..cd878492 100644
--- a/src/Playwright/Playwright.php
+++ b/src/Playwright/Playwright.php
@@ -59,6 +59,12 @@ final class Playwright
      */
     private static ?string $host = null;
 
+    /**
+     * The URL of an already-running Playwright server (e.g. http://192.168.1.100:9999).
+     * When set, the plugin connects to this server instead of starting a local one.
+     */
+    private static ?string $playwrightServerUrl = null;
+
     /**
      * Get a browser factory for the given browser type.
      */
@@ -155,6 +161,22 @@ public static function host(): ?string
         return self::$host;
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Set the URL of an external already-running Playwright server.
+     */
+    public static function setPlaywrightServerUrl(?string $serverUrl): void
+    {
+        self::$playwrightServerUrl = $serverUrl;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Get the URL of the external Playwright server, if set.
+     */
+    public static function playwrightServerUrl(): ?string
+    {
+        return self::$playwrightServerUrl ?? getenv('PEST_BROWSER_PLAYWRIGHT_URL') ?: null;
+    }
+
     /**
      * Get the default color scheme.
      */
diff --git a/src/ServerManager.php b/src/ServerManager.php
index 4e406fd9..5a9dcedb 100644
--- a/src/ServerManager.php
+++ b/src/ServerManager.php
@@ -55,6 +55,15 @@ public static function instance(): self
      */
     public function playwright(): PlaywrightServer
     {
+        $serverUrl = Playwright::playwrightServerUrl();
+        if ($serverUrl) {
+            $parts = parse_url($serverUrl);
+            $host = $parts['host'];
+            $port = $parts['port'] ?? 9999;
+            AlreadyStartedPlaywrightServer::persist($host, $port);
+            return $this->playwright ??= new AlreadyStartedPlaywrightServer($host, $port);
+        }
+
         if (Parallel::isWorker()) {
             return AlreadyStartedPlaywrightServer::fromPersisted();
         }
@@ -83,7 +92,7 @@ public function playwright(): PlaywrightServer
      */
     public function http(): HttpServer
     {
-        return $this->http ??= match (function_exists('app_path')) {
+        return $this->http ??= match (class_exists(\Illuminate\Foundation\Application::class)) {
             true => new LaravelHttpServer(
                 self::DEFAULT_HOST, // Always bind to 127.0.0.1 for server
                 Port::find(),