diff --git a/arduino/resources/checksums.go b/arduino/resources/checksums.go
index 58cba7a0ffc..5e816b93c28 100644
--- a/arduino/resources/checksums.go
+++ b/arduino/resources/checksums.go
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ func (r *DownloadResource) TestLocalArchiveSize(downloadDir *paths.Path) (bool,
 		return false, fmt.Errorf(tr("getting archive info: %s"), err)
 	}
 	if info.Size() != r.Size {
-		return false, fmt.Errorf(tr("fetched archive size differs from size specified in index"))
+		return false, fmt.Errorf("%s: %d != %d", tr("fetched archive size differs from size specified in index"), info.Size(), r.Size)
 	}
 
 	return true, nil
diff --git a/commands/instances.go b/commands/instances.go
index 79700833e3f..1b52fafd040 100644
--- a/commands/instances.go
+++ b/commands/instances.go
@@ -238,6 +238,27 @@ func Init(req *rpc.InitRequest, responseCallback func(r *rpc.InitResponse)) erro
 		return pm.LoadToolsFromPackageDir(builtinPackage, pm.PackagesDir.Join("builtin", "tools"))
 	}
 
+	// Load Platforms
+	if profile == nil {
+		for _, err := range pm.LoadHardware() {
+			s := &arduino.PlatformLoadingError{Cause: err}
+			responseError(s.ToRPCStatus())
+		}
+	} else {
+		// Load platforms from profile
+		errs := pm.LoadHardwareForProfile(
+			profile, true, downloadCallback, taskCallback,
+		)
+		for _, err := range errs {
+			s := &arduino.PlatformLoadingError{Cause: err}
+			responseError(s.ToRPCStatus())
+		}
+
+		// Load "builtin" tools
+		_ = loadBuiltinTools()
+	}
+
+	// Load packages index
 	urls := []string{globals.DefaultIndexURL}
 	if profile == nil {
 		urls = append(urls, configuration.Settings.GetStringSlice("board_manager.additional_urls")...)
@@ -265,26 +286,6 @@ func Init(req *rpc.InitRequest, responseCallback func(r *rpc.InitResponse)) erro
 		}
 	}
 
-	// Load Platforms
-	if profile == nil {
-		for _, err := range pm.LoadHardware() {
-			s := &arduino.PlatformLoadingError{Cause: err}
-			responseError(s.ToRPCStatus())
-		}
-	} else {
-		// Load platforms from profile
-		errs := pm.LoadHardwareForProfile(
-			profile, true, downloadCallback, taskCallback,
-		)
-		for _, err := range errs {
-			s := &arduino.PlatformLoadingError{Cause: err}
-			responseError(s.ToRPCStatus())
-		}
-
-		// Load "builtin" tools
-		_ = loadBuiltinTools()
-	}
-
 	// We load hardware before verifying builtin tools are installed
 	// otherwise we wouldn't find them and reinstall them each time
 	// and they would never get reloaded.