diff --git a/packages/playwright-core/src/server/chromium/chromium.ts b/packages/playwright-core/src/server/chromium/chromium.ts
index 30bd2871b8..023ee0b7d1 100644
--- a/packages/playwright-core/src/server/chromium/chromium.ts
+++ b/packages/playwright-core/src/server/chromium/chromium.ts
@@ -294,6 +294,8 @@ export class Chromium extends BrowserType {
       throw new Error('Playwright manages remote debugging connection itself.');
     if (args.find(arg => !arg.startsWith('-')))
       throw new Error('Arguments can not specify page to be opened');
+    if (!options.headless && options.channel === 'chromium-headless-shell')
+      throw new Error('Cannot launch headed Chromium with `chromium-headless-shell` channel. Consider using regular Chromium instead.');
     const chromeArguments = [...chromiumSwitches];
 
     if (os.platform() === 'darwin') {
diff --git a/tests/library/chromium/launcher.spec.ts b/tests/library/chromium/launcher.spec.ts
index 8758e63c12..d891d99481 100644
--- a/tests/library/chromium/launcher.spec.ts
+++ b/tests/library/chromium/launcher.spec.ts
@@ -184,3 +184,10 @@ it('should not create pages automatically', async ({ browserType }) => {
   await browser.close();
   expect(targets.length).toBe(0);
 });
+
+it('should throw helpful error when launching chromium-headless-shell channel as headed', async ({ browserType, channel }) => {
+  it.skip(channel !== 'chromium-headless-shell');
+  await expect(browserType.launch({ channel: 'chromium-headless-shell', headless: false })).rejects.toThrow(
+      'Cannot launch headed Chromium with `chromium-headless-shell` channel. Consider using regular Chromium instead.'
+  );
+});