diff --git a/internal/project/packageindex/packageindex.go b/internal/project/packageindex/packageindex.go
index 1d0560df..a96d0bdc 100644
--- a/internal/project/packageindex/packageindex.go
+++ b/internal/project/packageindex/packageindex.go
@@ -32,9 +32,12 @@ import (
 
 // Properties parses the package index from the given path and returns the data.
 func Properties(packageIndexPath *paths.Path) (map[string]interface{}, error) {
+	if packageIndexPath == nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("Package index path is nil")
+	}
 	rawIndex, err := packageIndexPath.ReadFile()
 	if err != nil {
-		panic(err)
+		return nil, err
 	}
 	var indexData map[string]interface{}
 	err = json.Unmarshal(rawIndex, &indexData)
diff --git a/internal/project/packageindex/packageindex_test.go b/internal/project/packageindex/packageindex_test.go
index 8d8375e1..5fdadd28 100644
--- a/internal/project/packageindex/packageindex_test.go
+++ b/internal/project/packageindex/packageindex_test.go
@@ -35,10 +35,14 @@ func init() {
 }
 
 func TestProperties(t *testing.T) {
-	packageIndex, err := Properties(testDataPath.Join("package_valid_index.json"))
-	require.Nil(t, err)
+	assert.NotPanics(t, func() { Properties(nil) }, "Don't panic when package index was not found")
+	packageIndex, err := Properties(nil)
+	assert.Error(t, err, "Error when package index was not found")
 
-	assert.NotNil(t, packageIndex)
+	packageIndex, err = Properties(testDataPath.Join("package_valid_index.json"))
+	require.Nil(t, err, "No error on valid package index")
+
+	assert.NotNil(t, packageIndex, "Package index data present")
 }
 
 func TestHasValidExtension(t *testing.T) {
diff --git a/internal/project/projectdata/packageindex.go b/internal/project/projectdata/packageindex.go
index a0f8f679..4cd65bb0 100644
--- a/internal/project/projectdata/packageindex.go
+++ b/internal/project/projectdata/packageindex.go
@@ -16,26 +16,35 @@
 package projectdata
 
 import (
-	"github.com/arduino/arduino-cli/arduino/cores/packageindex"
+	clipackageindex "github.com/arduino/arduino-cli/arduino/cores/packageindex"
+	"github.com/arduino/arduino-lint/internal/project/packageindex"
 )
 
 // InitializeForPackageIndex gathers the package index rule data for the specified project.
 func InitializeForPackageIndex() {
+	packageIndex, packageIndexLoadError = packageindex.Properties(ProjectPath())
 	if ProjectPath() != nil {
-		packageIndex, packageIndexLoadError = packageindex.LoadIndex(ProjectPath())
+		_, packageIndexCLILoadError = clipackageindex.LoadIndex(ProjectPath())
 	}
 }
 
-var packageIndex *packageindex.Index
+var packageIndex map[string]interface{}
 
-// PackageIndex returns the packageindex.Index object generated by Arduino CLI.
-func PackageIndex() *packageindex.Index {
+// PackageIndex returns the package index data.
+func PackageIndex() map[string]interface{} {
 	return packageIndex
 }
 
 var packageIndexLoadError error
 
-// PackageIndexLoadError returns the error return of packageindex.LoadIndex().
+// PackageIndexLoadError returns the error from loading the package index.
 func PackageIndexLoadError() error {
 	return packageIndexLoadError
 }
+
+var packageIndexCLILoadError error
+
+// PackageIndexCLILoadError returns the error return of Arduino CLI's packageindex.LoadIndex().
+func PackageIndexCLILoadError() error {
+	return packageIndexCLILoadError
+}
diff --git a/internal/project/projectdata/packageindex_test.go b/internal/project/projectdata/packageindex_test.go
index 800b01e0..372381c0 100644
--- a/internal/project/projectdata/packageindex_test.go
+++ b/internal/project/projectdata/packageindex_test.go
@@ -36,14 +36,15 @@ func init() {
 
 func TestInitializeForPackageIndex(t *testing.T) {
 	testTables := []struct {
-		testName                       string
-		path                           *paths.Path
-		packageIndexAssertion          assert.ValueAssertionFunc
-		packageIndexLoadErrorAssertion assert.ValueAssertionFunc
+		testName                          string
+		path                              *paths.Path
+		packageIndexAssertion             assert.ValueAssertionFunc
+		packageIndexLoadErrorAssertion    assert.ValueAssertionFunc
+		packageIndexCLILoadErrorAssertion assert.ValueAssertionFunc
 	}{
-		{"Valid", packageIndexTestDataPath.Join("valid-package-index", "package_foo_index.json"), assert.NotNil, assert.Nil},
-		{"Invalid package index", packageIndexTestDataPath.Join("invalid-package-index", "package_foo_index.json"), assert.Nil, assert.NotNil},
-		{"Invalid JSON", packageIndexTestDataPath.Join("invalid-JSON", "package_foo_index.json"), assert.Nil, assert.NotNil},
+		{"Valid", packageIndexTestDataPath.Join("valid-package-index", "package_foo_index.json"), assert.NotNil, assert.Nil, assert.Nil},
+		{"Invalid package index", packageIndexTestDataPath.Join("invalid-package-index", "package_foo_index.json"), assert.Nil, assert.NotNil, assert.NotNil},
+		{"Invalid JSON", packageIndexTestDataPath.Join("invalid-JSON", "package_foo_index.json"), assert.Nil, assert.NotNil, assert.NotNil},
 	}
 
 	for _, testTable := range testTables {
@@ -56,6 +57,7 @@ func TestInitializeForPackageIndex(t *testing.T) {
 		Initialize(testProject)
 
 		testTable.packageIndexLoadErrorAssertion(t, PackageIndexLoadError(), testTable.testName)
+		testTable.packageIndexCLILoadErrorAssertion(t, PackageIndexCLILoadError(), testTable.testName)
 		if PackageIndexLoadError() == nil {
 			testTable.packageIndexAssertion(t, PackageIndex(), testTable.testName)
 		}
diff --git a/internal/rule/rulefunction/packageindex.go b/internal/rule/rulefunction/packageindex.go
index a112c012..7a82eb74 100644
--- a/internal/rule/rulefunction/packageindex.go
+++ b/internal/rule/rulefunction/packageindex.go
@@ -77,8 +77,8 @@ func PackageIndexFormat() (result ruleresult.Type, output string) {
 		return ruleresult.NotRun, "Package index not found"
 	}
 
-	if projectdata.PackageIndexLoadError() != nil {
-		return ruleresult.Fail, projectdata.PackageIndexLoadError().Error()
+	if projectdata.PackageIndexCLILoadError() != nil {
+		return ruleresult.Fail, projectdata.PackageIndexCLILoadError().Error()
 	}
 
 	return ruleresult.Pass, ""