Lead borotellurite glasses of the systemxPbO:(80‐x)TeO2:20B2O3(x=20–70) are submitted to open‐apertureZ‐scan measurements at 532 nm. Degenerate two‐photon absorption coefficient of the glass ranges from 7.4±1.2 to 21.9±3.6 cm/GW; larger value is observed for the glass with higher PbO content. The proportional relationship between the PbO content and the two‐photon absorption coefficient in the ternary glass is explained tentatively in terms of the Pb‐associated absorption band existing in the deep ultraviolet region. ©1996 American Institute of Physics.