diff --git a/platformio/exception.py b/platformio/exception.py
index 7064b34e..5b30ba24 100644
--- a/platformio/exception.py
+++ b/platformio/exception.py
@@ -60,6 +60,11 @@ class UnknownBoard(PlatformioException):
     MESSAGE = "Unknown board ID '{0}'"
 
 
+class InvalidBoardManifest(PlatformioException):
+
+    MESSAGE = "Invalid board JSON manifest '{0}'"
+
+
 class UnknownFramework(PlatformioException):
 
     MESSAGE = "Unknown framework '{0}'"
diff --git a/platformio/managers/platform.py b/platformio/managers/platform.py
index 600c8b4f..97295e40 100644
--- a/platformio/managers/platform.py
+++ b/platformio/managers/platform.py
@@ -491,7 +491,10 @@ class PlatformBoardConfig(object):
         self._id = basename(manifest_path)[:-5]
         assert isfile(manifest_path)
         self.manifest_path = manifest_path
-        self._manifest = util.load_json(manifest_path)
+        try:
+            self._manifest = util.load_json(manifest_path)
+        except ValueError:
+            raise exception.InvalidBoardManifest(manifest_path)
         assert set(["name", "url", "vendor"]) <= set(self._manifest.keys())
 
     def get(self, path, default=None):