diff --git a/packages/playwright-core/src/server/registry/index.ts b/packages/playwright-core/src/server/registry/index.ts
index 35d4ed0618..1af32cb1c6 100644
--- a/packages/playwright-core/src/server/registry/index.ts
+++ b/packages/playwright-core/src/server/registry/index.ts
@@ -1020,10 +1020,12 @@ export class Registry {
   }
 
   async install(executablesToInstall: Executable[], forceReinstall: boolean) {
-    const executables = this._dedupe(executablesToInstall);
+    if (!process.env.PLAYWRIGHT_USE_INSTALLATION_LOCK)
+      return await this._installImpl(executablesToInstall, forceReinstall);
+
+    // TODO: Remove the following if we have confidence that we don't need the lock anymore.
     await fs.promises.mkdir(registryDirectory, { recursive: true });
     const lockfilePath = path.join(registryDirectory, '__dirlock');
-    const linksDir = path.join(registryDirectory, '.links');
 
     let releaseLock;
     try {
@@ -1040,39 +1042,7 @@ export class Registry {
         },
         lockfilePath,
       });
-      // Create a link first, so that cache validation does not remove our own browsers.
-      await fs.promises.mkdir(linksDir, { recursive: true });
-      await fs.promises.writeFile(path.join(linksDir, calculateSha1(PACKAGE_PATH)), PACKAGE_PATH);
-
-      // Remove stale browsers.
-      await this._validateInstallationCache(linksDir);
-
-      // Install browsers for this package.
-      for (const executable of executables) {
-        if (!executable._install)
-          throw new Error(`ERROR: Playwright does not support installing ${executable.name}`);
-
-        const { embedderName } = getEmbedderName();
-        if (!getAsBooleanFromENV('CI') && !executable._isHermeticInstallation && !forceReinstall && executable.executablePath(embedderName)) {
-          const command = buildPlaywrightCLICommand(embedderName, 'install --force ' + executable.name);
-          throw new Error('\n' + wrapInASCIIBox([
-            `ATTENTION: "${executable.name}" is already installed on the system!`,
-            ``,
-            `"${executable.name}" installation is not hermetic; installing newer version`,
-            `requires *removal* of a current installation first.`,
-            ``,
-            `To *uninstall* current version and re-install latest "${executable.name}":`,
-            ``,
-            `- Close all running instances of "${executable.name}", if any`,
-            `- Use "--force" to install browser:`,
-            ``,
-            `    ${command}`,
-            ``,
-            `<3 Playwright Team`,
-          ].join('\n'), 1));
-        }
-        await executable._install();
-      }
+      await this._installImpl(executablesToInstall, forceReinstall);
     } catch (e) {
       if (e.code === 'ELOCKED') {
         const rmCommand = process.platform === 'win32' ? 'rm -R' : 'rm -rf';
@@ -1098,6 +1068,46 @@ export class Registry {
     }
   }
 
+  async _installImpl(executablesToInstall: Executable[], forceReinstall: boolean) {
+    const executables = this._dedupe(executablesToInstall);
+    await fs.promises.mkdir(registryDirectory, { recursive: true });
+    const linksDir = path.join(registryDirectory, '.links');
+
+    // Create a link first, so that cache validation does not remove our own browsers.
+    await fs.promises.mkdir(linksDir, { recursive: true });
+    await fs.promises.writeFile(path.join(linksDir, calculateSha1(PACKAGE_PATH)), PACKAGE_PATH);
+
+    // Remove stale browsers.
+    await this._validateInstallationCache(linksDir);
+
+    // Install browsers for this package.
+    for (const executable of executables) {
+      if (!executable._install)
+        throw new Error(`ERROR: Playwright does not support installing ${executable.name}`);
+
+      const { embedderName } = getEmbedderName();
+      if (!getAsBooleanFromENV('CI') && !executable._isHermeticInstallation && !forceReinstall && executable.executablePath(embedderName)) {
+        const command = buildPlaywrightCLICommand(embedderName, 'install --force ' + executable.name);
+        throw new Error('\n' + wrapInASCIIBox([
+          `ATTENTION: "${executable.name}" is already installed on the system!`,
+          ``,
+          `"${executable.name}" installation is not hermetic; installing newer version`,
+          `requires *removal* of a current installation first.`,
+          ``,
+          `To *uninstall* current version and re-install latest "${executable.name}":`,
+          ``,
+          `- Close all running instances of "${executable.name}", if any`,
+          `- Use "--force" to install browser:`,
+          ``,
+          `    ${command}`,
+          ``,
+          `<3 Playwright Team`,
+        ].join('\n'), 1));
+      }
+      await executable._install();
+    }
+  }
+
   async uninstall(all: boolean): Promise<{ numberOfBrowsersLeft: number }> {
     const linksDir = path.join(registryDirectory, '.links');
     if (all) {