diff --git a/platformio/managers/platform.py b/platformio/managers/platform.py
index e1b50b57..817c4a0f 100644
--- a/platformio/managers/platform.py
+++ b/platformio/managers/platform.py
@@ -353,12 +353,6 @@ class PlatformBase(PlatformPackagesMixin, PlatformRunMixin):
     def packages(self):
         if "packages" not in self._manifest:
             self._manifest['packages'] = {}
-        if "tool-scons" not in self._manifest['packages']:
-            self._manifest['packages']['tool-scons'] = {
-                "version": self._manifest.get("engines", {}).get(
-                    "scons", ">=2.3.0,<2.6.0"),
-                "optional": False
-            }
         return self._manifest['packages']
 
     def get_dir(self):
@@ -457,6 +451,12 @@ class PlatformBase(PlatformPackagesMixin, PlatformRunMixin):
                 "version": "~1.20302.1",
                 "optional": False
             }
+        if "tool-scons" not in self.packages:
+            self.packages['tool-scons'] = {
+                "version": self._manifest.get("engines", {}).get(
+                    "scons", ">=2.3.0,<2.6.0"),
+                "optional": False
+            }
 
 
 class PlatformBoardConfig(object):