diff --git a/platformio/__main__.py b/platformio/__main__.py
index 9138fe3c..0dc0cca1 100644
--- a/platformio/__main__.py
+++ b/platformio/__main__.py
@@ -14,13 +14,13 @@
 
 import os
 import sys
-from platform import system
 from traceback import format_exc
 
 import click
 
 from platformio import __version__, exception, maintenance
 from platformio.commands import PlatformioCLI
+from platformio.compat import CYGWIN
 
 
 @click.command(
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ def process_result(ctx, result, force, caller):  # pylint: disable=W0613
 
 
 def configure():
-    if "cygwin" in system().lower():
+    if CYGWIN:
         raise exception.CygwinEnvDetected()
 
     # https://urllib3.readthedocs.org
diff --git a/platformio/app.py b/platformio/app.py
index 247fb65c..c8a071fc 100644
--- a/platformio/app.py
+++ b/platformio/app.py
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ from time import time
 import requests
 
 from platformio import exception, lockfile, util
+from platformio.compat import PY2, WINDOWS
 
 
 def projects_dir_validate(projects_dir):
@@ -173,7 +174,7 @@ class ContentCache(object):
             if not arg:
                 continue
             arg = str(arg)
-            h.update(arg if util.PY2 else arg.encode())
+            h.update(arg if PY2 else arg.encode())
         return h.hexdigest()
 
     def get(self, key):
@@ -361,7 +362,6 @@ def get_cid():
         uid = uuid.getnode()
     cid = uuid.UUID(bytes=hashlib.md5(str(uid).encode()).digest())
     cid = str(cid)
-    if ("windows" in util.get_systype()
-            or os.getuid() > 0):  # yapf: disable pylint: disable=no-member
+    if WINDOWS or os.getuid() > 0:  # yapf: disable pylint: disable=no-member
         set_state_item("cid", cid)
     return cid
diff --git a/platformio/builder/tools/piolib.py b/platformio/builder/tools/piolib.py
index e1a0b50b..270f3f21 100644
--- a/platformio/builder/tools/piolib.py
+++ b/platformio/builder/tools/piolib.py
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ from SCons.Script import DefaultEnvironment  # pylint: disable=import-error
 
 from platformio import exception, util
 from platformio.builder.tools import platformio as piotool
+from platformio.compat import PY2, WINDOWS
 from platformio.managers.lib import LibraryManager
 from platformio.managers.package import PackageManager
 
@@ -91,8 +92,6 @@ class LibBuilderFactory(object):
 
 class LibBuilderBase(object):
 
-    IS_WINDOWS = "windows" in util.get_systype()
-
     LDF_MODES = ["off", "chain", "deep", "chain+", "deep+"]
     LDF_MODE_DEFAULT = "chain"
 
@@ -135,7 +134,7 @@ class LibBuilderBase(object):
     def __contains__(self, path):
         p1 = self.path
         p2 = path
-        if self.IS_WINDOWS:
+        if WINDOWS:
             p1 = p1.lower()
             p2 = p2.lower()
         return commonprefix((p1 + sep, p2)) == p1 + sep
@@ -191,7 +190,7 @@ class LibBuilderBase(object):
     @property
     def build_dir(self):
         lib_hash = hashlib.sha1(
-            self.path if util.PY2 else self.path.encode()).hexdigest()[:3]
+            self.path if PY2 else self.path.encode()).hexdigest()[:3]
         return join("$BUILD_DIR", "lib%s" % lib_hash, basename(self.path))
 
     @property
diff --git a/platformio/builder/tools/pioplatform.py b/platformio/builder/tools/pioplatform.py
index 6427b33c..cc61a709 100644
--- a/platformio/builder/tools/pioplatform.py
+++ b/platformio/builder/tools/pioplatform.py
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ from os.path import isdir, isfile, join
 from SCons.Script import COMMAND_LINE_TARGETS  # pylint: disable=import-error
 
 from platformio import exception, util
+from platformio.compat import WINDOWS
 from platformio.managers.platform import PlatformFactory
 
 # pylint: disable=too-many-branches, too-many-locals
@@ -79,7 +80,7 @@ def LoadPioPlatform(env, variables):
         env.PrependENVPath(
             "PATH",
             join(pkg_dir, "bin") if isdir(join(pkg_dir, "bin")) else pkg_dir)
-        if ("windows" not in systype and isdir(join(pkg_dir, "lib"))
+        if (not WINDOWS and isdir(join(pkg_dir, "lib"))
                 and type_ != "toolchain"):
             env.PrependENVPath(
                 "DYLD_LIBRARY_PATH"
diff --git a/platformio/builder/tools/pioupload.py b/platformio/builder/tools/pioupload.py
index 0d5a55ea..a7b2685d 100644
--- a/platformio/builder/tools/pioupload.py
+++ b/platformio/builder/tools/pioupload.py
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ from SCons.Script import ARGUMENTS  # pylint: disable=import-error
 from serial import Serial, SerialException
 
 from platformio import exception, util
+from platformio.compat import WINDOWS
 
 # pylint: disable=unused-argument
 
@@ -134,8 +135,7 @@ def AutodetectUploadPort(*args, **kwargs):
                 continue
             port = item['port']
             if upload_protocol.startswith("blackmagic"):
-                if "windows" in util.get_systype() and \
-                        port.startswith("COM") and len(port) > 4:
+                if WINDOWS and port.startswith("COM") and len(port) > 4:
                     port = "\\\\.\\%s" % port
                 if "GDB" in item['description']:
                     return port
diff --git a/platformio/builder/tools/piowinhooks.py b/platformio/builder/tools/piowinhooks.py
index c893ffd5..1105091f 100644
--- a/platformio/builder/tools/piowinhooks.py
+++ b/platformio/builder/tools/piowinhooks.py
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ from hashlib import md5
 from os import makedirs
 from os.path import isdir, isfile, join
 
-from platformio import util
+from platformio.compat import PY2, WINDOWS
 
 # Windows CLI has limit with command length to 8192
 # Leave 2000 chars for flags and other options
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ def _file_long_data(env, data):
         makedirs(build_dir)
     tmp_file = join(
         build_dir,
-        "longcmd-%s" % md5(data if util.PY2 else data.encode()).hexdigest())
+        "longcmd-%s" % md5(data if PY2 else data.encode()).hexdigest())
     if isfile(tmp_file):
         return tmp_file
     with open(tmp_file, "w") as fp:
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ def exists(_):
 
 
 def generate(env):
-    if "windows" not in util.get_systype():
+    if not WINDOWS:
         return None
 
     env.Replace(_long_sources_hook=long_sources_hook)
diff --git a/platformio/builder/tools/platformio.py b/platformio/builder/tools/platformio.py
index 41f32700..a8272b83 100644
--- a/platformio/builder/tools/platformio.py
+++ b/platformio/builder/tools/platformio.py
@@ -27,7 +27,8 @@ from SCons.Script import DefaultEnvironment  # pylint: disable=import-error
 from SCons.Script import Export  # pylint: disable=import-error
 from SCons.Script import SConscript  # pylint: disable=import-error
 
-from platformio.util import glob_escape, pioversion_to_intstr, string_types
+from platformio.compat import string_types
+from platformio.util import glob_escape, pioversion_to_intstr
 
 SRC_HEADER_EXT = ["h", "hpp"]
 SRC_C_EXT = ["c", "cc", "cpp"]
diff --git a/platformio/commands/upgrade.py b/platformio/commands/upgrade.py
index c47ff8dc..6acb83ae 100644
--- a/platformio/commands/upgrade.py
+++ b/platformio/commands/upgrade.py
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ import click
 import requests
 
 from platformio import VERSION, __version__, exception, util
+from platformio.compat import WINDOWS
 from platformio.managers.core import shutdown_piohome_servers
 
 
@@ -68,7 +69,7 @@ def cli(dev):
             raise exception.UpgradeError("\n".join([str(cmd), str(e)]))
         permission_errors = ("permission denied", "not permitted")
         if (any(m in r['err'].lower() for m in permission_errors)
-                and "windows" not in util.get_systype()):
+                and not WINDOWS):
             click.secho(
                 """
 -----------------
diff --git a/platformio/compat.py b/platformio/compat.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..cd50d905
--- /dev/null
+++ b/platformio/compat.py
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+# Copyright (c) 2014-present PlatformIO <contact@platformio.org>
+#
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+# you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+# You may obtain a copy of the License at
+#
+#    http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+# WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+# See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+# limitations under the License.
+
+import sys
+
+PY2 = sys.version_info[0] == 2
+CYGWIN = sys.platform.startswith('cygwin')
+WINDOWS = sys.platform.startswith('win')
+
+
+def get_filesystem_encoding():
+    return sys.getfilesystemencoding() or sys.getdefaultencoding()
+
+
+if PY2:
+    # pylint: disable=undefined-variable
+    string_types = (str, unicode)
+
+    def is_bytes(x):
+        return isinstance(x, (buffer, bytearray))
+
+    def path_to_unicode(path):
+        return path.decode(get_filesystem_encoding()).encode("utf-8")
+else:
+    string_types = (str, )
+
+    def is_bytes(x):
+        return isinstance(x, (bytes, memoryview, bytearray))
+
+    def path_to_unicode(path):
+        return path
diff --git a/platformio/downloader.py b/platformio/downloader.py
index 0b0ef5df..f86b723d 100644
--- a/platformio/downloader.py
+++ b/platformio/downloader.py
@@ -15,13 +15,14 @@
 from email.utils import parsedate_tz
 from math import ceil
 from os.path import getsize, join
-from sys import getfilesystemencoding, version_info
+from sys import version_info
 from time import mktime
 
 import click
 import requests
 
 from platformio import util
+from platformio.compat import PY2, get_filesystem_encoding
 from platformio.exception import (FDSHASumMismatch, FDSizeMismatch,
                                   FDUnrecognizedStatusCode)
 
@@ -45,15 +46,15 @@ class FileDownloader(object):
         if disposition and "filename=" in disposition:
             self._fname = disposition[disposition.index("filename=") +
                                       9:].replace('"', "").replace("'", "")
-            if util.PY2:
+            if PY2:
                 self._fname = self._fname.encode("utf8")
         else:
             self._fname = [p for p in url.split("/") if p][-1]
 
         self._destination = self._fname
         if dest_dir:
-            if util.PY2:
-                dest_dir = dest_dir.decode(getfilesystemencoding())
+            if PY2:
+                dest_dir = dest_dir.decode(get_filesystem_encoding())
             self.set_destination(join(dest_dir, self._fname))
 
     def set_destination(self, destination):
diff --git a/platformio/ide/projectgenerator.py b/platformio/ide/projectgenerator.py
index 9cbf3028..1216aaee 100644
--- a/platformio/ide/projectgenerator.py
+++ b/platformio/ide/projectgenerator.py
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ from click.testing import CliRunner
 
 from platformio import exception, util
 from platformio.commands.run import cli as cmd_run
+from platformio.compat import PY2, WINDOWS
 from platformio.project.config import ProjectConfig
 from platformio.project.helpers import (
     get_projectlib_dir, get_projectlibdeps_dir, get_projectsrc_dir)
@@ -120,7 +121,7 @@ class ProjectGenerator(object):
             contents = self._render_tpl(tpl_path)
             self._merge_contents(
                 join(dst_dir, file_name),
-                contents.encode("utf8") if util.PY2 else contents)
+                contents.encode("utf8") if PY2 else contents)
 
     def _render_tpl(self, tpl_path):
         return bottle.template(
@@ -155,5 +156,4 @@ class ProjectGenerator(object):
 
     @staticmethod
     def _fix_os_path(path):
-        return (re.sub(r"[\\]+", '\\' * 4, path)
-                if "windows" in util.get_systype() else path)
+        return (re.sub(r"[\\]+", '\\' * 4, path) if WINDOWS else path)
diff --git a/platformio/managers/core.py b/platformio/managers/core.py
index 0dd84552..62492bcf 100644
--- a/platformio/managers/core.py
+++ b/platformio/managers/core.py
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ from time import sleep
 import requests
 
 from platformio import __version__, exception, util
+from platformio.compat import PY2, WINDOWS
 from platformio.managers.package import PackageManager
 
 CORE_PACKAGES = {
@@ -29,7 +30,7 @@ CORE_PACKAGES = {
     "~2.%d%d.190418" % (sys.version_info[0], sys.version_info[1]),
     "tool-pioplus": "^2.2.0",
     "tool-unity": "~1.20403.0",
-    "tool-scons": "~2.20501.7" if util.PY2 else "~3.30005.0"
+    "tool-scons": "~2.20501.7" if PY2 else "~3.30005.0"
 }
 
 PIOPLUS_AUTO_UPDATES_MAX = 100
@@ -99,7 +100,7 @@ def update_core_packages(only_check=False, silent=False):
         if not silent or pm.outdated(pkg_dir, requirements):
             if name == "tool-pioplus" and not only_check:
                 shutdown_piohome_servers()
-                if "windows" in util.get_systype():
+                if WINDOWS:
                     sleep(1)
             pm.update(name, requirements, only_check=only_check)
     return True
@@ -117,7 +118,7 @@ def shutdown_piohome_servers():
 
 
 def pioplus_call(args, **kwargs):
-    if "windows" in util.get_systype() and sys.version_info < (2, 7, 6):
+    if WINDOWS and sys.version_info < (2, 7, 6):
         raise exception.PlatformioException(
             "PlatformIO Core Plus v%s does not run under Python version %s.\n"
             "Minimum supported version is 2.7.6, please upgrade Python.\n"
diff --git a/platformio/managers/lib.py b/platformio/managers/lib.py
index 4cbb34a7..b478f49c 100644
--- a/platformio/managers/lib.py
+++ b/platformio/managers/lib.py
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ from os.path import isdir, join
 import click
 
 from platformio import app, commands, exception, util
+from platformio.compat import string_types
 from platformio.managers.package import BasePkgManager
 from platformio.managers.platform import PlatformFactory, PlatformManager
 
@@ -120,7 +121,7 @@ class LibraryManager(BasePkgManager):
         # convert listed items via comma to array
         for key in ("keywords", "frameworks", "platforms"):
             if key not in manifest or \
-                    not isinstance(manifest[key], util.string_types):
+                    not isinstance(manifest[key], string_types):
                 continue
             manifest[key] = [
                 i.strip() for i in manifest[key].split(",") if i.strip()
@@ -147,7 +148,7 @@ class LibraryManager(BasePkgManager):
                     continue
                 if item[k] == "*":
                     del item[k]
-                elif isinstance(item[k], util.string_types):
+                elif isinstance(item[k], string_types):
                     item[k] = [
                         i.strip() for i in item[k].split(",") if i.strip()
                     ]
diff --git a/platformio/managers/package.py b/platformio/managers/package.py
index 516a951c..4d637716 100644
--- a/platformio/managers/package.py
+++ b/platformio/managers/package.py
@@ -588,9 +588,8 @@ class PkgInstallerMixin(object):
                 if "__src_url" in cur_manifest:
                     target_dirname = "%s@src-%s" % (
                         pkg_dirname,
-                        hashlib.md5(cur_manifest['__src_url'] if util.
-                                    PY2 else cur_manifest['__src_url'].encode(
-                                    )).hexdigest())
+                        hashlib.md5(
+                            cur_manifest['__src_url'].encode()).hexdigest())
                 shutil.move(pkg_dir, join(self.package_dir, target_dirname))
             # fix to a version
             elif action == 2:
@@ -599,9 +598,8 @@ class PkgInstallerMixin(object):
                 if "__src_url" in tmp_manifest:
                     target_dirname = "%s@src-%s" % (
                         pkg_dirname,
-                        hashlib.md5(tmp_manifest['__src_url'] if util.
-                                    PY2 else tmp_manifest['__src_url'].encode(
-                                    )).hexdigest())
+                        hashlib.md5(
+                            tmp_manifest['__src_url'].encode()).hexdigest())
                 pkg_dir = join(self.package_dir, target_dirname)
 
         # remove previous/not-satisfied package
diff --git a/platformio/managers/platform.py b/platformio/managers/platform.py
index bfcda3f2..8c0b7de9 100644
--- a/platformio/managers/platform.py
+++ b/platformio/managers/platform.py
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ import click
 import semantic_version
 
 from platformio import __version__, app, exception, util
+from platformio.compat import PY2
 from platformio.managers.core import get_core_package_dir
 from platformio.managers.package import BasePkgManager, PackageManager
 from platformio.project.helpers import get_projectboards_dir
@@ -389,7 +390,7 @@ class PlatformRunMixin(object):
 
         # encode and append variables
         for key, value in variables.items():
-            if util.PY2:
+            if PY2:
                 cmd.append("%s=%s" % (key.upper(), base64.b64encode(value)))
             else:
                 cmd.append(
diff --git a/platformio/project/helpers.py b/platformio/project/helpers.py
index d7c19595..66a9c39b 100644
--- a/platformio/project/helpers.py
+++ b/platformio/project/helpers.py
@@ -13,16 +13,14 @@
 # limitations under the License.
 
 import os
-import sys
 from hashlib import sha1
 from os import walk
 from os.path import abspath, dirname, expanduser, isdir, isfile, join
 
 from platformio import __version__
+from platformio.compat import PY2, WINDOWS
 from platformio.project.config import ProjectConfig
 
-PY2 = sys.version_info[0] == 2
-
 
 def get_project_dir():
     return os.getcwd()
@@ -132,7 +130,7 @@ def calculate_project_hash():
                 if path.endswith(check_suffixes):
                     chunks.append(path)
     chunks_to_str = ",".join(sorted(chunks))
-    if sys.platform == "win32":
+    if WINDOWS:
         # Fix issue with useless project rebuilding for case insensitive FS.
         # A case of disk drive can differ...
         chunks_to_str = chunks_to_str.lower()
diff --git a/platformio/util.py b/platformio/util.py
index 8055cc4d..6e5db848 100644
--- a/platformio/util.py
+++ b/platformio/util.py
@@ -32,19 +32,15 @@ import click
 import requests
 
 from platformio import __apiurl__, __version__, exception
+from platformio.compat import path_to_unicode  # pylint: disable=unused-import
+from platformio.compat import PY2, WINDOWS, string_types
 from platformio.project.config import ProjectConfig
 from platformio.project.helpers import (  # pylint: disable=unused-import
     get_project_dir, get_project_optional_dir, get_projectboards_dir,
     get_projectbuild_dir, get_projectdata_dir, get_projectlib_dir,
     get_projectsrc_dir, get_projecttest_dir, is_platformio_project)
 
-# FIXME: check platformio.project.helpers imports
-
-PY2 = sys.version_info[0] == 2
-if PY2:
-    string_types = basestring  # pylint: disable=undefined-variable
-else:
-    string_types = str
+# FIXME: remove import of path_to_unicode
 
 
 class AsyncPipe(Thread):
@@ -148,12 +144,6 @@ def singleton(cls):
     return get_instance
 
 
-def path_to_unicode(path):
-    if not PY2:
-        return path
-    return path.decode(sys.getfilesystemencoding()).encode("utf-8")
-
-
 def load_json(file_path):
     try:
         with open(file_path, "r") as f:
@@ -180,7 +170,7 @@ def get_home_dir():
     home_dir = get_project_optional_dir("home_dir",
                                         join(expanduser("~"), ".platformio"))
     win_home_dir = None
-    if "windows" in get_systype():
+    if WINDOWS:
         win_home_dir = splitdrive(home_dir)[0] + "\\.platformio"
         if isdir(win_home_dir):
             home_dir = win_home_dir
@@ -281,7 +271,7 @@ def copy_pythonpath_to_osenv():
         _PYTHONPATH = os.environ.get("PYTHONPATH").split(os.pathsep)
     for p in os.sys.path:
         conditions = [p not in _PYTHONPATH]
-        if "windows" not in get_systype():
+        if not WINDOWS:
             conditions.append(
                 isdir(join(p, "click")) or isdir(join(p, "platformio")))
         if all(conditions):
@@ -299,14 +289,12 @@ def get_serial_ports(filter_hwid=False):
     for p, d, h in comports():
         if not p:
             continue
-        if "windows" in get_systype():
-            if PY2:
-                try:
-                    d = unicode(  # pylint: disable=undefined-variable
-                        d,
-                        errors="ignore")
-                except TypeError:
-                    pass
+        if WINDOWS and PY2:
+            try:
+                # pylint: disable=undefined-variable
+                d = unicode(d, errors="ignore")
+            except TypeError:
+                pass
         if not filter_hwid or "VID:PID" in h:
             result.append({"port": p, "description": d, "hwid": h})
 
@@ -326,7 +314,7 @@ get_serialports = get_serial_ports
 
 def get_logical_devices():
     items = []
-    if "windows" in get_systype():
+    if WINDOWS:
         try:
             result = exec_command(
                 ["wmic", "logicaldisk", "get", "name,VolumeName"]).get(
@@ -586,9 +574,8 @@ def where_is_program(program, envpath=None):
 
     # try OS's built-in commands
     try:
-        result = exec_command(
-            ["where" if "windows" in get_systype() else "which", program],
-            env=env)
+        result = exec_command(["where" if WINDOWS else "which", program],
+                              env=env)
         if result['returncode'] == 0 and isfile(result['out'].strip()):
             return result['out'].strip()
     except OSError: