diff --git a/esphomeyaml/__main__.py b/esphomeyaml/__main__.py
index 26f42c1..529d2e0 100644
--- a/esphomeyaml/__main__.py
+++ b/esphomeyaml/__main__.py
@@ -167,13 +167,10 @@ def compile_program(args, config):
 
 
 def upload_using_esptool(config, port):
-    import esptool
-
     path = os.path.join(CORE.build_path, '.pioenvs', CORE.name, 'firmware.bin')
-    cmd = ['esptool.py', '--before', 'default_reset', '--after', 'hard_reset',
+    cmd = ['@esptool@/bin/esptool.py', '--before', 'default_reset', '--after', 'hard_reset',
            '--chip', 'esp8266', '--port', port, 'write_flash', '0x0', path]
-    # pylint: disable=protected-access
-    return run_external_command(esptool._main, *cmd)
+    return run_external_command(*cmd)
 
 
 def upload_program(config, args, host):
diff --git a/esphomeyaml/platformio_api.py b/esphomeyaml/platformio_api.py
index df29491..f991701 100644
--- a/esphomeyaml/platformio_api.py
+++ b/esphomeyaml/platformio_api.py
@@ -13,12 +13,9 @@ _LOGGER = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 
 def run_platformio_cli(*args, **kwargs):
-    import platformio.__main__
-
     os.environ["PLATFORMIO_FORCE_COLOR"] = "true"
-    cmd = ['platformio'] + list(args)
-    return run_external_command(platformio.__main__.main,
-                                *cmd, **kwargs)
+    cmd = ['@platformio@/bin/platformio'] + list(args)
+    return run_external_command(*cmd, **kwargs)
 
 
 def run_platformio_cli_run(config, verbose, *args, **kwargs):
diff --git a/esphomeyaml/util.py b/esphomeyaml/util.py
index eebb4b7..9e9e58f 100644
--- a/esphomeyaml/util.py
+++ b/esphomeyaml/util.py
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import io
 import logging
 import re
 import sys
+import subprocess
 
 _LOGGER = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
@@ -79,42 +80,25 @@ class RedirectText(object):
         return True
 
 
-def run_external_command(func, *cmd, **kwargs):
-    def mock_exit(return_code):
-        raise SystemExit(return_code)
-
-    orig_argv = sys.argv
-    orig_exit = sys.exit  # mock sys.exit
+def run_external_command(*cmd, **kwargs):
     full_cmd = u' '.join(shlex_quote(x) for x in cmd)
     _LOGGER.info(u"Running:  %s", full_cmd)
 
-    orig_stdout = sys.stdout
-    sys.stdout = RedirectText(sys.stdout)
-    orig_stderr = sys.stderr
-    sys.stderr = RedirectText(sys.stderr)
-
     capture_stdout = kwargs.get('capture_stdout', False)
     if capture_stdout:
-        cap_stdout = sys.stdout = io.BytesIO()
+        cap_stdout = io.BytesIO()
+    else:
+        cap_stdout = sys.stdout
 
     try:
-        sys.argv = list(cmd)
-        sys.exit = mock_exit
-        return func() or 0
-    except KeyboardInterrupt:
-        return 1
-    except SystemExit as err:
-        return err.args[0]
+        completed_process = subprocess.run(cmd,
+                                           stdout=RedirectText(cap_stdout),
+                                           stderr=RedirectText(sys.stderr))
+        return completed_process.returncode
     except Exception as err:  # pylint: disable=broad-except
         _LOGGER.error(u"Running command failed: %s", err)
         _LOGGER.error(u"Please try running %s locally.", full_cmd)
     finally:
-        sys.argv = orig_argv
-        sys.exit = orig_exit
-
-        sys.stdout = orig_stdout
-        sys.stderr = orig_stderr
-
         if capture_stdout:
             # pylint: disable=lost-exception
             return cap_stdout.getvalue()
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 78a5378..8ce80de 100755
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -23,12 +23,10 @@ DOWNLOAD_URL = '{}/archive/{}.zip'.format(GITHUB_URL, const.__version__)
 
 REQUIRES = [
     'voluptuous>=0.11.1',
-    'platformio>=3.5.3',
     'pyyaml>=3.12',
     'paho-mqtt>=1.3.1',
     'colorlog>=3.1.2',
     'tornado>=5.0.0',
-    'esptool>=2.3.1',
     'typing>=3.0.0',
     'protobuf>=3.4',
     'tzlocal>=1.4',