diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 8876d8e8..3cd5ef79 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 # gdbgui release history
 
+- start browser in a new thread to avoid connection errors
+
 ## 0.15.3.0
 - Update default python version to 3.13
 
diff --git a/gdbgui/server/server.py b/gdbgui/server/server.py
index a638d9fd..db043e63 100644
--- a/gdbgui/server/server.py
+++ b/gdbgui/server/server.py
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import os
 import socket
+import threading
 import webbrowser
 
 from .constants import DEFAULT_HOST, DEFAULT_PORT, colorize
@@ -82,7 +83,12 @@ def run_server(
             text = ("Opening gdbgui with %s at " + protocol + "%s:%d") % args
             print(colorize(text))
             b = webbrowser.get(browsername) if browsername else webbrowser
-            b.open(url_with_prefix)
+
+            # open the dashboard directly in a new tab/window in a new thread
+            def open_browser_func():
+                b.open_new_tab(url_with_prefix)
+
+            threading.Thread(target=open_browser_func).start()
         else:
             print(colorize(f"View gdbgui at {protocol}{url[0]}:{url[1]}"))
         print(