diff --git a/platformio/commands/check/command.py b/platformio/commands/check/command.py
index 3d430b02..be270b3d 100644
--- a/platformio/commands/check/command.py
+++ b/platformio/commands/check/command.py
@@ -159,10 +159,10 @@ def cli(
                         click.echo("No defects found")
                     print_processing_footer(result)
 
-    if json_output:
-        click.echo(dump_json_to_unicode(results_to_json(results)))
-    elif not silent:
-        print_check_summary(results)
+        if json_output:
+            click.echo(dump_json_to_unicode(results_to_json(results)))
+        elif not silent:
+            print_check_summary(results)
 
     command_failed = any(r.get("succeeded") is False for r in results)
     if command_failed:
diff --git a/platformio/commands/check/defect.py b/platformio/commands/check/defect.py
index 03e59c3c..ca5d0e03 100644
--- a/platformio/commands/check/defect.py
+++ b/platformio/commands/check/defect.py
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
 # See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 # limitations under the License.
 
-from os.path import relpath
+from os.path import isabs, isfile, join, relpath
 
 import click
 
@@ -82,11 +82,15 @@ class DefectItem(object):
         raise Exception("Unknown severity label -> %s" % label)
 
     def as_dict(self):
+        filepath = self.file
+        if not isabs(filepath) and isfile(join(get_project_dir(), filepath)):
+            filepath = join(get_project_dir(), filepath)
+
         return {
             "severity": self.SEVERITY_LABELS[self.severity],
             "category": self.category,
             "message": self.message,
-            "file": self.file,
+            "file": filepath,
             "line": self.line,
             "column": self.column,
             "callstack": self.callstack,