diff --git a/platformio/app.py b/platformio/app.py
index 34ac4986..f53b17d0 100644
--- a/platformio/app.py
+++ b/platformio/app.py
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ import hashlib
 import os
 import uuid
 from os import environ, getenv, listdir, remove
-from os.path import abspath, dirname, isdir, isfile, join
+from os.path import dirname, isdir, isfile, join, realpath
 from time import time
 
 import requests
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ from platformio.project.helpers import (
 
 def projects_dir_validate(projects_dir):
     assert isdir(projects_dir)
-    return abspath(projects_dir)
+    return realpath(projects_dir)
 
 
 DEFAULT_SETTINGS = {
diff --git a/platformio/builder/tools/pioide.py b/platformio/builder/tools/pioide.py
index 26544cfe..253ce61d 100644
--- a/platformio/builder/tools/pioide.py
+++ b/platformio/builder/tools/pioide.py
@@ -14,9 +14,8 @@
 
 from __future__ import absolute_import
 
+import os
 from glob import glob
-from os import environ
-from os.path import abspath, isfile, join
 
 from SCons.Defaults import processDefines  # pylint: disable=import-error
 
@@ -42,10 +41,10 @@ def _dump_includes(env):
             continue
         toolchain_dir = glob_escape(p.get_package_dir(name))
         toolchain_incglobs = [
-            join(toolchain_dir, "*", "include*"),
-            join(toolchain_dir, "*", "include", "c++", "*"),
-            join(toolchain_dir, "*", "include", "c++", "*", "*-*-*"),
-            join(toolchain_dir, "lib", "gcc", "*", "*", "include*"),
+            os.path.join(toolchain_dir, "*", "include*"),
+            os.path.join(toolchain_dir, "*", "include", "c++", "*"),
+            os.path.join(toolchain_dir, "*", "include", "c++", "*", "*-*-*"),
+            os.path.join(toolchain_dir, "lib", "gcc", "*", "*", "include*"),
         ]
         for g in toolchain_incglobs:
             includes.extend(glob(g))
@@ -59,8 +58,9 @@ def _dump_includes(env):
     # remove duplicates
     result = []
     for item in includes:
+        item = os.path.realpath(item)
         if item not in result:
-            result.append(abspath(item))
+            result.append(item)
 
     return result
 
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ def _dump_includes(env):
 def _get_gcc_defines(env):
     items = []
     try:
-        sysenv = environ.copy()
+        sysenv = os.environ.copy()
         sysenv["PATH"] = str(env["ENV"]["PATH"])
         result = exec_command(
             "echo | %s -dM -E -" % env.subst("$CC"), env=sysenv, shell=True
@@ -119,7 +119,7 @@ def _dump_defines(env):
 def _get_svd_path(env):
     svd_path = env.GetProjectOption("debug_svd_path")
     if svd_path:
-        return abspath(svd_path)
+        return os.path.realpath(svd_path)
 
     if "BOARD" not in env:
         return None
@@ -129,12 +129,12 @@ def _get_svd_path(env):
     except (AssertionError, KeyError):
         return None
     # custom path to SVD file
-    if isfile(svd_path):
+    if os.path.isfile(svd_path):
         return svd_path
     # default file from ./platform/misc/svd folder
     p = env.PioPlatform()
-    if isfile(join(p.get_dir(), "misc", "svd", svd_path)):
-        return abspath(join(p.get_dir(), "misc", "svd", svd_path))
+    if os.path.isfile(os.path.join(p.get_dir(), "misc", "svd", svd_path)):
+        return os.path.realpath(os.path.join(p.get_dir(), "misc", "svd", svd_path))
     return None
 
 
diff --git a/platformio/commands/check/defect.py b/platformio/commands/check/defect.py
index e864356e..32b7dc2c 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 abspath, relpath
+import os
 
 import click
 
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ class DefectItem(object):
         self.id = id
         self.file = file
         if file.startswith(get_project_dir()):
-            self.file = relpath(file, get_project_dir())
+            self.file = os.path.relpath(file, get_project_dir())
 
     def __repr__(self):
         defect_color = None
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ class DefectItem(object):
             "severity": self.SEVERITY_LABELS[self.severity],
             "category": self.category,
             "message": self.message,
-            "file": abspath(self.file),
+            "file": os.path.realpath(self.file),
             "line": self.line,
             "column": self.column,
             "callstack": self.callstack,
diff --git a/platformio/commands/check/tools/base.py b/platformio/commands/check/tools/base.py
index 59951288..4c381a05 100644
--- a/platformio/commands/check/tools/base.py
+++ b/platformio/commands/check/tools/base.py
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ class CheckToolBase(object):  # pylint: disable=too-many-instance-attributes
         def _add_file(path):
             if not path.endswith(allowed_extensions):
                 return
-            result.append(os.path.abspath(path))
+            result.append(os.path.realpath(path))
 
         for pattern in self.options["patterns"]:
             for item in glob.glob(pattern):
diff --git a/platformio/commands/ci.py b/platformio/commands/ci.py
index 4cdf227c..7c57f465 100644
--- a/platformio/commands/ci.py
+++ b/platformio/commands/ci.py
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
 
 from glob import glob
 from os import getenv, makedirs, remove
-from os.path import abspath, basename, isdir, isfile, join
+from os.path import basename, isdir, isfile, join, realpath
 from shutil import copyfile, copytree
 from tempfile import mkdtemp
 
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ def validate_path(ctx, param, value):  # pylint: disable=unused-argument
     for i, p in enumerate(value):
         if p.startswith("~"):
             value[i] = fs.expanduser(p)
-        value[i] = abspath(value[i])
+        value[i] = realpath(value[i])
         if not glob(value[i]):
             invalid_path = p
             break
@@ -158,7 +158,7 @@ def _exclude_contents(dst_dir, patterns):
     for p in patterns:
         contents += glob(join(glob_escape(dst_dir), p))
     for path in contents:
-        path = abspath(path)
+        path = realpath(path)
         if isdir(path):
             fs.rmtree(path)
         elif isfile(path):
diff --git a/platformio/commands/debug/client.py b/platformio/commands/debug/client.py
index 72a12a84..5650f302 100644
--- a/platformio/commands/debug/client.py
+++ b/platformio/commands/debug/client.py
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ import re
 import signal
 import time
 from hashlib import sha1
-from os.path import abspath, basename, dirname, isdir, join, splitext
+from os.path import basename, dirname, isdir, join, realpath, splitext
 from tempfile import mkdtemp
 
 from twisted.internet import protocol  # pylint: disable=import-error
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ class GDBClient(BaseProcess):  # pylint: disable=too-many-instance-attributes
     def _get_data_dir(gdb_path):
         if "msp430" in gdb_path:
             return None
-        gdb_data_dir = abspath(join(dirname(gdb_path), "..", "share", "gdb"))
+        gdb_data_dir = realpath(join(dirname(gdb_path), "..", "share", "gdb"))
         return gdb_data_dir if isdir(gdb_data_dir) else None
 
     def generate_pioinit(self, dst_dir, patterns):
diff --git a/platformio/fs.py b/platformio/fs.py
index 18ad38b2..ca561b10 100644
--- a/platformio/fs.py
+++ b/platformio/fs.py
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ class cd(object):
 
 
 def get_source_dir():
-    curpath = os.path.abspath(__file__)
+    curpath = os.path.realpath(__file__)
     if not os.path.isfile(curpath):
         for p in sys.path:
             if os.path.isfile(os.path.join(p, __file__)):
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ def ensure_udev_rules():
     if not any(os.path.isfile(p) for p in installed_rules):
         raise exception.MissedUdevRules
 
-    origin_path = os.path.abspath(
+    origin_path = os.path.realpath(
         os.path.join(get_source_dir(), "..", "scripts", "99-platformio-udev.rules")
     )
     if not os.path.isfile(origin_path):
diff --git a/platformio/ide/projectgenerator.py b/platformio/ide/projectgenerator.py
index d4e13e5a..6e775099 100644
--- a/platformio/ide/projectgenerator.py
+++ b/platformio/ide/projectgenerator.py
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
 import io
 import os
 import sys
-from os.path import abspath, basename, isdir, isfile, join, relpath
+from os.path import basename, isdir, isfile, join, realpath, relpath
 
 import bottle
 
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ class ProjectGenerator(object):
             "project_name": basename(self.project_dir),
             "project_dir": self.project_dir,
             "env_name": self.env_name,
-            "user_home_dir": abspath(fs.expanduser("~")),
+            "user_home_dir": realpath(fs.expanduser("~")),
             "platformio_path": sys.argv[0]
             if isfile(sys.argv[0])
             else where_is_program("platformio"),
diff --git a/platformio/lockfile.py b/platformio/lockfile.py
index 8c7a4658..44d2e4cf 100644
--- a/platformio/lockfile.py
+++ b/platformio/lockfile.py
@@ -12,8 +12,7 @@
 # See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 # limitations under the License.
 
-from os import remove
-from os.path import abspath, exists, getmtime
+import os
 from time import sleep, time
 
 from platformio import exception
@@ -45,15 +44,15 @@ class LockFile(object):
     def __init__(self, path, timeout=LOCKFILE_TIMEOUT, delay=LOCKFILE_DELAY):
         self.timeout = timeout
         self.delay = delay
-        self._lock_path = abspath(path) + ".lock"
+        self._lock_path = os.path.realpath(path) + ".lock"
         self._fp = None
 
     def _lock(self):
-        if not LOCKFILE_CURRENT_INTERFACE and exists(self._lock_path):
+        if not LOCKFILE_CURRENT_INTERFACE and os.path.exists(self._lock_path):
             # remove stale lock
-            if time() - getmtime(self._lock_path) > 10:
+            if time() - os.path.getmtime(self._lock_path) > 10:
                 try:
-                    remove(self._lock_path)
+                    os.remove(self._lock_path)
                 except:  # pylint: disable=bare-except
                     pass
             else:
@@ -93,9 +92,9 @@ class LockFile(object):
 
     def release(self):
         self._unlock()
-        if exists(self._lock_path):
+        if os.path.exists(self._lock_path):
             try:
-                remove(self._lock_path)
+                os.remove(self._lock_path)
             except:  # pylint: disable=bare-except
                 pass
 
diff --git a/platformio/managers/package.py b/platformio/managers/package.py
index de87904b..10dadd3c 100644
--- a/platformio/managers/package.py
+++ b/platformio/managers/package.py
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ import json
 import os
 import re
 import shutil
-from os.path import abspath, basename, getsize, isdir, isfile, islink, join
+from os.path import basename, getsize, isdir, isfile, islink, join, realpath
 from tempfile import mkdtemp
 
 import click
@@ -423,7 +423,7 @@ class PkgInstallerMixin(object):
 
     def get_package_by_dir(self, pkg_dir):
         for manifest in self.get_installed():
-            if manifest["__pkg_dir"] == abspath(pkg_dir):
+            if manifest["__pkg_dir"] == realpath(pkg_dir):
                 return manifest
         return None