diff --git a/platformio/commands/upgrade.py b/platformio/commands/upgrade.py
index 1df215f9..97014d2b 100644
--- a/platformio/commands/upgrade.py
+++ b/platformio/commands/upgrade.py
@@ -19,16 +19,12 @@ import requests
 
 from platformio import VERSION, __version__, exception, util
 from platformio.commands.home import shutdown_servers
-from platformio.managers.core import update_core_packages
 
 
 @click.command(
     "upgrade", short_help="Upgrade PlatformIO to the latest version")
 @click.option("--dev", is_flag=True, help="Use development branch")
 def cli(dev):
-    # Update PlatformIO's Core packages
-    update_core_packages(silent=True)
-
     if not dev and __version__ == get_latest_version():
         return click.secho(
             "You're up-to-date!\nPlatformIO %s is currently the "
diff --git a/platformio/managers/core.py b/platformio/managers/core.py
index 6c0b2024..180d092b 100644
--- a/platformio/managers/core.py
+++ b/platformio/managers/core.py
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
 import os
 import subprocess
 import sys
-from os.path import dirname, isdir, join
+from os.path import dirname, join
 
 from platformio import __version__, exception, util
 from platformio.managers.package import PackageManager
@@ -35,10 +35,8 @@ PIOPLUS_AUTO_UPDATES_MAX = 100
 
 class CorePackageManager(PackageManager):
 
-    CORE_PACKAGES_DIR = join(util.get_home_dir(), "packages")
-
     def __init__(self):
-        PackageManager.__init__(self, CorePackageManager.CORE_PACKAGES_DIR, [
+        PackageManager.__init__(self, join(util.get_home_dir(), "packages"), [
             "https://dl.bintray.com/platformio/dl-packages/manifest.json",
             "http%s://dl.platformio.org/packages/manifest.json" %
             ("" if sys.version_info < (2, 7, 9) else "s")
@@ -87,8 +85,6 @@ def get_core_package_dir(name):
 
 
 def update_core_packages(only_check=False, silent=False):
-    if not isdir(CorePackageManager.CORE_PACKAGES_DIR):
-        return None
     pm = CorePackageManager()
     for name, requirements in CORE_PACKAGES.items():
         pkg_dir = pm.get_package_dir(name)