diff --git a/src/install/installer.ts b/src/install/installer.ts
index 08739b0873d37..f38d270bafedd 100644
--- a/src/install/installer.ts
+++ b/src/install/installer.ts
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ import * as removeFolder from 'rimraf';
 import * as lockfile from 'proper-lockfile';
 import * as browserPaths from '../utils/browserPaths';
 import * as browserFetcher from './browserFetcher';
-import { getFromENV } from '../utils/utils';
+import { getAsBooleanFromENV } from '../utils/utils';
 
 const fsMkdirAsync = util.promisify(fs.mkdir.bind(fs));
 const fsReaddirAsync = util.promisify(fs.readdir.bind(fs));
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ const fsWriteFileAsync = util.promisify(fs.writeFile.bind(fs));
 const removeFolderAsync = util.promisify(removeFolder);
 
 export async function installBrowsersWithProgressBar(packagePath: string) {
-  if (getFromENV('PLAYWRIGHT_SKIP_BROWSER_DOWNLOAD')) {
+  if (getAsBooleanFromENV('PLAYWRIGHT_SKIP_BROWSER_DOWNLOAD')) {
     browserFetcher.logPolitely('Skipping browsers download because `PLAYWRIGHT_SKIP_BROWSER_DOWNLOAD` env variable is set');
     return false;
   }
diff --git a/src/utils/utils.ts b/src/utils/utils.ts
index 9781f112e3a2c..001408816eb34 100644
--- a/src/utils/utils.ts
+++ b/src/utils/utils.ts
@@ -95,11 +95,19 @@ export function isUnderTest(): boolean {
   return _isUnderTest;
 }
 
-export function getFromENV(name: string) {
+export function getFromENV(name: string): string | undefined {
   let value = process.env[name];
-  value = value || process.env[`npm_config_${name.toLowerCase()}`];
-  value = value || process.env[`npm_package_config_${name.toLowerCase()}`];
-  return value;
+  if (value !== undefined)
+    return value;
+  value = process.env[`npm_config_${name.toLowerCase()}`];
+  if (value !== undefined)
+    return value;
+  return process.env[`npm_package_config_${name.toLowerCase()}`];
+}
+
+export function getAsBooleanFromENV(name: string): boolean {
+  const value = getFromENV(name);
+  return !!value && value !== 'false' && value !== '0';
 }
 
 export async function mkdirIfNeeded(filePath: string) {