diff --git a/Lib/webbrowser.py b/Lib/webbrowser.py
index 11c8301651f..d05c18b4511 100644
--- a/Lib/webbrowser.py
+++ b/Lib/webbrowser.py
@@ -313,7 +313,7 @@ def open_new(self, url):
 if os.environ.has_key("BROWSER"):
     # It's the user's responsibility to register handlers for any unknown
     # browser referenced by this value, before calling open().
-    _tryorder = os.environ["BROWSER"].split(":")
+    _tryorder = os.environ["BROWSER"].split(os.pathsep)
 
 for cmd in _tryorder:
     if not _browsers.has_key(cmd.lower()):