diff --git a/platformio/package/manager/_symlink.py b/platformio/package/manager/_symlink.py
index 2346ee96..8c5eae38 100644
--- a/platformio/package/manager/_symlink.py
+++ b/platformio/package/manager/_symlink.py
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
 import json
 import os
 
+from platformio import fs
 from platformio.package.exception import PackageException
 from platformio.package.meta import PackageItem, PackageSpec
 
@@ -27,9 +28,7 @@ class PackageManagerSymlinkMixin(object):
     @classmethod
     def resolve_symlink(cls, path):
         assert cls.is_symlink(path)
-        data = None
-        with open(path, "r", encoding="utf-8") as fp:
-            data = json.load(fp)
+        data = fs.load_json(path)
         spec = PackageSpec(**data["spec"])
         assert spec.symlink
         pkg_dir = spec.uri[10:]
diff --git a/platformio/package/meta.py b/platformio/package/meta.py
index cd0791de..20199527 100644
--- a/platformio/package/meta.py
+++ b/platformio/package/meta.py
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ from urllib.parse import urlparse
 
 import semantic_version
 
+from platformio import fs
 from platformio.compat import get_object_members, hashlib_encode_data, string_types
 from platformio.package.manifest.parser import ManifestFileType
 from platformio.package.version import cast_version_to_semver
@@ -415,15 +416,14 @@ class PackageMetaData(object):
 
     @staticmethod
     def load(path):
-        with open(path, encoding="utf8") as fp:
-            data = json.load(fp)
-            if data["spec"]:
-                # legacy support for Core<5.3 packages
-                if "url" in data["spec"]:
-                    data["spec"]["uri"] = data["spec"]["url"]
-                    del data["spec"]["url"]
-                data["spec"] = PackageSpec(**data["spec"])
-            return PackageMetaData(**data)
+        data = fs.load_json(path)
+        if data["spec"]:
+            # legacy support for Core<5.3 packages
+            if "url" in data["spec"]:
+                data["spec"]["uri"] = data["spec"]["url"]
+                del data["spec"]["url"]
+            data["spec"] = PackageSpec(**data["spec"])
+        return PackageMetaData(**data)
 
 
 class PackageItem(object):
diff --git a/platformio/project/helpers.py b/platformio/project/helpers.py
index 2aab20b7..647d7112 100644
--- a/platformio/project/helpers.py
+++ b/platformio/project/helpers.py
@@ -12,7 +12,6 @@
 # See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 # limitations under the License.
 
-import json
 import os
 import subprocess
 from hashlib import sha1
@@ -162,6 +161,5 @@ def _load_cached_project_ide_data(project_dir, env_names):
     for name in env_names:
         if not os.path.isfile(os.path.join(build_dir, name, "idedata.json")):
             continue
-        with open(os.path.join(build_dir, name, "idedata.json"), encoding="utf8") as fp:
-            result[name] = json.load(fp)
+        result[name] = fs.load_json(os.path.join(build_dir, name, "idedata.json"))
     return result