diff --git a/cli/CHANGELOG.md b/cli/CHANGELOG.md
index a524f14a8483..b14417c7a6c3 100644
--- a/cli/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/cli/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -6,13 +6,13 @@ _Released 4/2/2024 (PENDING)_
 **Bugfixes:**
 
 - Fixed a bug where fields using arrays in `cypress.config` are not correctly processed. Fixes [#27103](https://github.com/cypress-io/cypress/issues/27103). Fixed in [#27312](https://github.com/cypress-io/cypress/pull/27312).
+- Fixed launching with a null browser value. Fixes [#22732](https://github.com/cypress-io/cypress/issues/22732).
 
 ## 13.7.1
 
 _Released 3/21/2024_
 
 **Bugfixes:**
-
 - Fixed an issue where Cypress was not executing beyond the first spec in `cypress run` for versions of Firefox 124 and up. Fixes [#29172](https://github.com/cypress-io/cypress/issues/29172).
 - Fixed an issue blurring shadow dom elements. Fixed in [#29125](https://github.com/cypress-io/cypress/pull/29125).
 
diff --git a/packages/server/lib/util/args.js b/packages/server/lib/util/args.js
index f948f709c82e..65c2e5a887c5 100644
--- a/packages/server/lib/util/args.js
+++ b/packages/server/lib/util/args.js
@@ -412,7 +412,7 @@ module.exports = {
     }
 
     let { spec } = options
-    const { env, config, reporterOptions, outputPath, tag, testingType, autoCancelAfterFailures } = options
+    const { browser, env, config, reporterOptions, outputPath, tag, testingType, autoCancelAfterFailures } = options
     let project = options.project || options.runProject
 
     // only accept project if it is a string
@@ -426,6 +426,12 @@ module.exports = {
       delete options.key
     }
 
+    if (browser) {
+      if (typeof browser !== 'string' || browser == null) {
+        return errors.throwErr('COULD_NOT_PARSE_ARGUMENTS', 'browser', browser, 'browser must be a string or path to executable')
+      }
+    }
+
     if (spec) {
       try {
         const resolvePath = (p) => {
diff --git a/packages/server/test/integration/cypress_spec.js b/packages/server/test/integration/cypress_spec.js
index f7957c35a0cf..ba6a68c122f5 100644
--- a/packages/server/test/integration/cypress_spec.js
+++ b/packages/server/test/integration/cypress_spec.js
@@ -261,6 +261,15 @@ describe('lib/cypress', () => {
   })
 
   context('error handling', function () {
+    it('exits if browser cannot be parsed', function () {
+      return cypress.start(['--browser', ''])
+      .then(() => {
+        const err = this.expectExitWithErr('COULD_NOT_PARSE_ARGUMENTS')
+
+        snapshot('could not parse config error', stripAnsi(err.message))
+      })
+    })
+
     it('exits if config cannot be parsed', function () {
       return cypress.start(['--config', 'xyz'])
       .then(() => {