diff --git a/ui/desktop/electron-app/src/ipc/handlers.js b/ui/desktop/electron-app/src/ipc/handlers.js
index d5aac6fb4..9f956d49b 100644
--- a/ui/desktop/electron-app/src/ipc/handlers.js
+++ b/ui/desktop/electron-app/src/ipc/handlers.js
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ const boundaryCli = require('../cli/index.js');
 const sessionManager = require('../services/session-manager.js');
 const runtimeSettings = require('../services/runtime-settings.js');
 const sanitizer = require('../utils/sanitizer.js');
-const { isMac, isWindows } = require('../helpers/platform.js');
+const { isMac, isWindows, isLinux } = require('../helpers/platform.js');
 
 /**
  * Returns the current runtime origin, which is used by the main thread to
@@ -38,9 +38,23 @@ handle('openExternal', async (href) => {
   const isLocalhost =
     href.startsWith('http://localhost') || href.startsWith('http://127.0.0.1');
   if (isSecure || isLocalhost || isDev) {
-    // openExternal is necessary in order to display documentation and to
-    // support arbitrary OIDC flows.  The protocol is validated (see above).
-    shell.openExternal(href); /* eng-disable OPEN_EXTERNAL_JS_CHECK */
+    /**
+     * Launch browser to display documentation and to support arbitrary OIDC flows.
+     * The protocol is validated (see above).
+     * In linux, launch application (xdg-open) does not launch browser window
+     * and fails silently. As a bypass, launch a new browser window attached
+     * to main window.
+     */
+    if (isLinux()) {
+      const browserWindow = new BrowserWindow({
+        parent: BrowserWindow.getFocusedWindow(),
+      });
+      browserWindow.loadURL(href);
+      browserWindow.show();
+    } else {
+      // openExternal is necessary to open urls in Windows and MacOS
+      shell.openExternal(href); /* eng-disable OPEN_EXTERNAL_JS_CHECK */
+    }
   } else {
     throw new Error(
       `URLs may only be opened over HTTPS in an external browser.
diff --git a/ui/desktop/environments/ubuntu-focal64/Vagrantfile b/ui/desktop/environments/ubuntu-focal64/Vagrantfile
index 6eef580f7..e037674ad 100644
--- a/ui/desktop/environments/ubuntu-focal64/Vagrantfile
+++ b/ui/desktop/environments/ubuntu-focal64/Vagrantfile
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ For using locally built debian artifacts:
   artifacts on MacOS
 
 ## Setup Ubuntu
-- Create a ubuntu desktop box using vagrant: `vagrant up --provision-with setup,cli,staged-desktop`
+- Create a ubuntu desktop box using vagrant: `vagrant up --provision-with setup,cli,staged-desktop`.
 - Desktop client artifact and cli will be available in `/home/vagrant/Desktop` after logging into ubuntu.
   Username/password for login: vagrant/vagrant. Navigate to `/home/vagrant/Desktop` in a terminal app.
 - To install desktop app use either `apt` or `dpkg`
@@ -24,12 +24,12 @@ For using locally built debian artifacts:
 
 ## Provision types
 User --provision-with option to setup machine for either cli or development
-Setup for testing:
+Setup for testing staged desktop release:
+  vagrant up --provision-with setup,cli,staged-desktop
+Setup for testing artifacts built locally:
    vagrant up --provision-with setup,cli
 Setup for developing desktop client:
    vagrant up --provision-with setup,development
-Setup for staged desktop release:
-  vagrant up --provision-with setup,cli,staged-desktop
 To destroy machine:
    vagrant destroy -f
 =end
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ Vagrant.configure("2") do |config|
   config.vm.provision "setup", type: "shell", inline: <<-SHELL
     sudo apt-get update -y
     sudo apt-get upgrade -y
-    sudo apt-get install curl
+    sudo apt-get install curl firefox
     # Add vagrant to administrator group
     sudo usermod -aG sudo vagrant
     # Add vagrant to shared folder
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ Vagrant.configure("2") do |config|
     sudo apt-get install -y nodejs
 
     sudo apt-get remove cmdtest
-    sudo apt-get install -y npm git
+    sudo apt-get install -y npm git chromium-browser
 
     git clone https://github.com/hashicorp/boundary-ui.git /home/vagrant/Desktop/boundary-ui
     sudo npm install -g yarn