diff --git a/platformio/managers/core.py b/platformio/managers/core.py
index 76a20008..4ecd728c 100644
--- a/platformio/managers/core.py
+++ b/platformio/managers/core.py
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ from platformio.managers.package import PackageManager
 CORE_PACKAGES = {
     "contrib-piohome": ">=0.9.1,<2",
     "contrib-pysite": ">=0.2.0,<2",
-    "tool-pioplus": ">=1.1.3,<2",
+    "tool-pioplus": ">=1.1.6,<2",
     "tool-unity": "~1.20403.0",
     "tool-scons": "~2.20501.4"
 }
diff --git a/platformio/util.py b/platformio/util.py
index 10bfed7c..dcc09cd3 100644
--- a/platformio/util.py
+++ b/platformio/util.py
@@ -587,9 +587,9 @@ def _get_api_result(
                 headers=headers,
                 auth=auth,
                 verify=verify_ssl)
+        result = r.json()
         r.raise_for_status()
-        r.json()
-        result = r.text
+        return r.text
     except requests.exceptions.HTTPError as e:
         if result and "message" in result:
             raise exception.APIRequestError(result['message'])
@@ -603,7 +603,7 @@ def _get_api_result(
     finally:
         if r:
             r.close()
-    return result
+    return None
 
 
 def get_api_result(url, params=None, data=None, auth=None, cache_valid=None):