diff --git a/platformio/commands/platform.py b/platformio/commands/platform.py
index cc6078d1..827b17ca 100644
--- a/platformio/commands/platform.py
+++ b/platformio/commands/platform.py
@@ -318,15 +318,6 @@ def platform_update(  # pylint: disable=too-many-locals, too-many-arguments
 #
 
 
-def init_platform(name, skip_default_package=True, auto_install=True):
-    try:
-        return PlatformFactory.new(name)
-    except UnknownPlatform:
-        if auto_install:
-            _platform_install([name], skip_default_package=skip_default_package)
-        return PlatformFactory.new(name)
-
-
 def _print_platforms(platforms):
     for platform in platforms:
         click.echo(
diff --git a/platformio/commands/run/processor.py b/platformio/commands/run/processor.py
index f6b184d6..8accc644 100644
--- a/platformio/commands/run/processor.py
+++ b/platformio/commands/run/processor.py
@@ -12,9 +12,9 @@
 # See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 # limitations under the License.
 
-from platformio.commands.platform import init_platform
 from platformio.commands.test.processor import CTX_META_TEST_RUNNING_NAME
 from platformio.package.commands.install import install_project_env_dependencies
+from platformio.platform.factory import PlatformFactory
 from platformio.project.exception import UndefinedEnvPlatformError
 
 # pylint: disable=too-many-instance-attributes
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ class EnvironmentProcessor(object):
             {"project_targets": build_targets},
         )
 
-        result = init_platform(self.options["platform"]).run(
+        result = PlatformFactory.new(self.options["platform"]).run(
             build_vars, build_targets, self.silent, self.verbose, self.jobs
         )
         return result["returncode"] == 0
diff --git a/platformio/commands/test/command.py b/platformio/commands/test/command.py
index ae511a9b..4dc6b13b 100644
--- a/platformio/commands/test/command.py
+++ b/platformio/commands/test/command.py
@@ -23,10 +23,10 @@ import click
 from tabulate import tabulate
 
 from platformio import app, exception, fs, util
-from platformio.commands.platform import init_platform
 from platformio.commands.test.embedded import EmbeddedTestProcessor
 from platformio.commands.test.helpers import get_test_names
 from platformio.commands.test.native import NativeTestProcessor
+from platformio.platform.factory import PlatformFactory
 from platformio.project.config import ProjectConfig
 
 
@@ -142,7 +142,9 @@ def cli(  # pylint: disable=redefined-builtin
                 cls = (
                     EmbeddedTestProcessor
                     if config.get(section, "platform")
-                    and init_platform(config.get(section, "platform")).is_embedded()
+                    and PlatformFactory.new(
+                        config.get(section, "platform"), autoinstall=True
+                    ).is_embedded()
                     else NativeTestProcessor
                 )
                 tp = cls(
diff --git a/platformio/debug/command.py b/platformio/debug/command.py
index e5865b96..278ca463 100644
--- a/platformio/debug/command.py
+++ b/platformio/debug/command.py
@@ -23,12 +23,12 @@ import subprocess
 import click
 
 from platformio import app, exception, fs, proc
-from platformio.commands.platform import init_platform
 from platformio.compat import IS_WINDOWS
 from platformio.debug import helpers
 from platformio.debug.config.factory import DebugConfigFactory
 from platformio.debug.exception import DebugInvalidOptionsError
 from platformio.debug.process.gdb import GDBClientProcess
+from platformio.platform.factory import PlatformFactory
 from platformio.project.config import ProjectConfig
 from platformio.project.exception import ProjectEnvsNotAvailableError
 from platformio.project.helpers import is_platformio_project
@@ -96,7 +96,9 @@ def debug_cmd(
 
     with fs.cd(project_dir):
         debug_config = DebugConfigFactory.new(
-            init_platform(env_options["platform"]), project_config, env_name
+            PlatformFactory.new(env_options["platform"], autoinstall=True),
+            project_config,
+            env_name,
         )
 
     if "--version" in __unprocessed:
diff --git a/platformio/platform/factory.py b/platformio/platform/factory.py
index f6cddfdb..f79d54dd 100644
--- a/platformio/platform/factory.py
+++ b/platformio/platform/factory.py
@@ -36,8 +36,9 @@ class PlatformFactory(object):
             raise UnknownPlatform(name)
 
     @classmethod
-    def new(cls, pkg_or_spec):
+    def new(cls, pkg_or_spec, autoinstall=False):
         # pylint: disable=import-outside-toplevel
+        from platformio.package.manager.platform import PlatformPackageManager
 
         platform_dir = None
         platform_name = None
@@ -47,17 +48,20 @@ class PlatformFactory(object):
         elif isinstance(pkg_or_spec, (str, bytes)) and os.path.isdir(pkg_or_spec):
             platform_dir = pkg_or_spec
         else:
-            from platformio.package.manager.platform import PlatformPackageManager
-
             pkg = PlatformPackageManager().get_package(pkg_or_spec)
-            if not pkg:
-                raise UnknownPlatform(pkg_or_spec)
-            platform_dir = pkg.path
-            platform_name = pkg.metadata.name
+            if pkg:
+                platform_dir = pkg.path
+                platform_name = pkg.metadata.name
 
         if not platform_dir or not os.path.isfile(
             os.path.join(platform_dir, "platform.json")
         ):
+            if autoinstall:
+                return cls.new(
+                    PlatformPackageManager().install(
+                        pkg_or_spec, skip_dependencies=True
+                    )
+                )
             raise UnknownPlatform(pkg_or_spec)
 
         if not platform_name: