diff --git a/platformio/project/config.py b/platformio/project/config.py
index 8633589c..9b7f43cf 100644
--- a/platformio/project/config.py
+++ b/platformio/project/config.py
@@ -376,6 +376,13 @@ class ProjectConfigBase(object):
     def default_envs(self):
         return self.get("platformio", "default_envs", [])
 
+    def get_default_env(self):
+        default_envs = self.default_envs()
+        if default_envs:
+            return default_envs[0]
+        envs = self.envs()
+        return envs[0] if envs else None
+
     def validate(self, envs=None, silent=False):
         if not os.path.isfile(self.path):
             raise exception.NotPlatformIOProjectError(os.path.dirname(self.path))
diff --git a/tests/project/test_config.py b/tests/project/test_config.py
index 669406c1..25b7f545 100644
--- a/tests/project/test_config.py
+++ b/tests/project/test_config.py
@@ -183,6 +183,7 @@ def test_envs(config):
         "extra_2",
     ]
     assert config.default_envs() == ["base", "extra_2"]
+    assert config.get_default_env() == "base"
 
 
 def test_options(config):