diff --git a/platformio/app.py b/platformio/app.py
index 8ca1ba4c..dd7922f0 100644
--- a/platformio/app.py
+++ b/platformio/app.py
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 # See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 # limitations under the License.
 
+import codecs
 import hashlib
 import json
 import os
@@ -106,7 +107,7 @@ class State(object):
     def __exit__(self, type_, value, traceback):
         if self._prev_state != self._state:
             try:
-                with open(self.path, "w") as fp:
+                with codecs.open(self.path, "w") as fp:
                     if "dev" in __version__:
                         json.dump(self._state, fp, indent=4)
                     else:
@@ -187,11 +188,8 @@ class ContentCache(object):
         cache_path = self.get_cache_path(key)
         if not isfile(cache_path):
             return None
-        with open(cache_path, "rb") as fp:
-            data = fp.read()
-            if data and data[0] in ("{", "["):
-                return json.loads(data)
-            return data
+        with codecs.open(cache_path, "rb") as fp:
+            return fp.read()
 
     def set(self, key, data, valid):
         if not get_setting("enable_cache"):
@@ -212,12 +210,9 @@ class ContentCache(object):
 
         if not isdir(dirname(cache_path)):
             os.makedirs(dirname(cache_path))
-        with open(cache_path, "wb") as fp:
-            if isinstance(data, (dict, list)):
-                json.dump(data, fp)
-            else:
-                fp.write(str(data))
-        with open(self._db_path, "a") as fp:
+        with codecs.open(cache_path, "wb") as fp:
+            fp.write(str(data))
+        with codecs.open(self._db_path, "a") as fp:
             fp.write("%s=%s\n" % (str(expire_time), cache_path))
 
         return self._unlock_dbindex()
@@ -233,7 +228,7 @@ class ContentCache(object):
         paths_for_delete = [self.get_cache_path(k) for k in keys]
         found = False
         newlines = []
-        with open(self._db_path) as fp:
+        with codecs.open(self._db_path) as fp:
             for line in fp.readlines():
                 if "=" not in line:
                     continue
@@ -253,7 +248,7 @@ class ContentCache(object):
                         pass
 
         if found and self._lock_dbindex():
-            with open(self._db_path, "w") as fp:
+            with codecs.open(self._db_path, "w") as fp:
                 fp.write("\n".join(newlines) + "\n")
             self._unlock_dbindex()
 
diff --git a/platformio/util.py b/platformio/util.py
index 459b85e2..8e1c3b7d 100644
--- a/platformio/util.py
+++ b/platformio/util.py
@@ -607,8 +607,9 @@ def _get_api_result(
                 headers=headers,
                 auth=auth,
                 verify=verify_ssl)
-        result = r.json()
         r.raise_for_status()
+        r.json()
+        result = r.text
     except requests.exceptions.HTTPError as e:
         if result and "message" in result:
             raise exception.APIRequestError(result['message'])
@@ -637,7 +638,7 @@ def get_api_result(url, params=None, data=None, auth=None, cache_valid=None):
                 if cache_key:
                     result = cc.get(cache_key)
                     if result is not None:
-                        return result
+                        return json.loads(result)
 
             # check internet before and resolve issue with 60 seconds timeout
             internet_on(raise_exception=True)
@@ -646,7 +647,7 @@ def get_api_result(url, params=None, data=None, auth=None, cache_valid=None):
             if cache_valid:
                 with ContentCache() as cc:
                     cc.set(cache_key, result, cache_valid)
-            return result
+            return json.loads(result)
         except (requests.exceptions.ConnectionError,
                 requests.exceptions.Timeout) as e:
             from platformio.maintenance import in_silence