diff --git a/platformio/exception.py b/platformio/exception.py
index 8b3df0f2..ec0737de 100644
--- a/platformio/exception.py
+++ b/platformio/exception.py
@@ -192,6 +192,11 @@ class InvalidLibConfURL(PlatformioException):
     MESSAGE = "Invalid library config URL '{0}'"
 
 
+class InvalidProjectConf(PlatformioException):
+
+    MESSAGE = "Invalid `platformio.ini`, project configuration file: '{0}'"
+
+
 class BuildScriptNotFound(PlatformioException):
 
     MESSAGE = "Invalid path '{0}' to build script"
diff --git a/platformio/util.py b/platformio/util.py
index e37660e2..98c3cbc1 100644
--- a/platformio/util.py
+++ b/platformio/util.py
@@ -36,23 +36,27 @@ from platformio import __apiurl__, __version__, exception
 # pylint: disable=wrong-import-order, too-many-ancestors
 
 try:
-    from configparser import ConfigParser
+    import configparser as ConfigParser
 except ImportError:
-    from ConfigParser import ConfigParser
+    import ConfigParser as ConfigParser
 
 
-class ProjectConfig(ConfigParser):
+class ProjectConfig(ConfigParser.ConfigParser):
 
     VARTPL_RE = re.compile(r"\$\{([^\.\}]+)\.([^\}]+)\}")
 
     def items(self, section, **_):  # pylint: disable=arguments-differ
         items = []
-        for option in ConfigParser.options(self, section):
+        for option in ConfigParser.ConfigParser.options(self, section):
             items.append((option, self.get(section, option)))
         return items
 
     def get(self, section, option, **kwargs):
-        value = ConfigParser.get(self, section, option, **kwargs)
+        try:
+            value = ConfigParser.ConfigParser.get(self, section, option,
+                                                  **kwargs)
+        except ConfigParser.Error as e:
+            raise exception.InvalidProjectConf(str(e))
         if "${" not in value or "}" not in value:
             return value
         return self.VARTPL_RE.sub(self._re_sub_handler, value)
@@ -331,7 +335,10 @@ def load_project_config(path=None):
         raise exception.NotPlatformIOProject(
             dirname(path) if path.endswith("platformio.ini") else path)
     cp = ProjectConfig()
-    cp.read(path)
+    try:
+        cp.read(path)
+    except ConfigParser.Error as e:
+        raise exception.InvalidProjectConf(str(e))
     return cp