diff --git a/platformio/builder/tools/piomisc.py b/platformio/builder/tools/piomisc.py
index 1fa62f93..a848ea0e 100644
--- a/platformio/builder/tools/piomisc.py
+++ b/platformio/builder/tools/piomisc.py
@@ -122,8 +122,8 @@ def ConvertInoToCpp(env):
             remove(file_)
         except:  # pylint: disable=bare-except
             if isfile(file_):
-                print ("Warning: Could not remove temporary file '%s'. "
-                       "Please remove it manually." % file_)
+                print("Warning: Could not remove temporary file '%s'. "
+                      "Please remove it manually." % file_)
 
     ino_nodes = (env.Glob(join("$PROJECTSRC_DIR", "*.ino")) +
                  env.Glob(join("$PROJECTSRC_DIR", "*.pde")))
@@ -202,9 +202,7 @@ def DumpIDEData(env):
     def get_defines(env_):
         defines = []
         # global symbols
-        for item in env_.get("CPPDEFINES", []):
-            if isinstance(item, list):
-                item = "=".join(item)
+        for item in env.Flatten(env_.get("CPPDEFINES", [])):
             defines.append(env_.subst(item).replace('\\"', '"'))
 
         # special symbol for Atmel AVR MCU
@@ -232,9 +230,7 @@ def DumpIDEData(env):
 
     # https://github.com/platformio/platformio-atom-ide/issues/34
     _new_defines = []
-    for item in env_.get("CPPDEFINES", []):
-        if isinstance(item, list):
-            item = "=".join(item)
+    for item in env.Flatten(env_.get("CPPDEFINES", [])):
         item = item.replace('\\"', '"')
         if " " in item:
             _new_defines.append(item.replace(" ", "\\\\ "))
diff --git a/platformio/builder/tools/platformio.py b/platformio/builder/tools/platformio.py
index 1c7743fe..e1b599c8 100644
--- a/platformio/builder/tools/platformio.py
+++ b/platformio/builder/tools/platformio.py
@@ -36,12 +36,9 @@ SRC_DEFAULT_FILTER = " ".join([
 def BuildProgram(env):
 
     def _append_pio_macros():
-        if any(["PLATFORMIO=" in str(d) for d in env.get("CPPDEFINES", [])]):
-            return
-        env.Append(
+        env.AppendUnique(
             CPPDEFINES=["PLATFORMIO={0:02d}{1:02d}{2:02d}".format(
-                *pioversion_to_intstr())],
-        )
+                *pioversion_to_intstr())])
 
     _append_pio_macros()