diff --git a/toolchains/arduino/org.eclipse.cdt.arduino.core/src/org/eclipse/cdt/arduino/core/internal/board/ArduinoManager.java b/toolchains/arduino/org.eclipse.cdt.arduino.core/src/org/eclipse/cdt/arduino/core/internal/board/ArduinoManager.java
index 64eb2b07231..87af37bc380 100644
--- a/toolchains/arduino/org.eclipse.cdt.arduino.core/src/org/eclipse/cdt/arduino/core/internal/board/ArduinoManager.java
+++ b/toolchains/arduino/org.eclipse.cdt.arduino.core/src/org/eclipse/cdt/arduino/core/internal/board/ArduinoManager.java
@@ -100,7 +100,12 @@ public class ArduinoManager {
 			File packageFile = packagePath.toFile();
 			if (download) {
 				Files.createDirectories(ArduinoPreferences.getArduinoHome());
-				Files.copy(packageUrl.openStream(), packagePath, StandardCopyOption.REPLACE_EXISTING);
+				try {
+					Files.copy(packageUrl.openStream(), packagePath, StandardCopyOption.REPLACE_EXISTING);
+				} catch (IOException e) {
+					// make sure we add the package anyway if it exists
+					Activator.log(e);
+				}
 			}
 			if (packageFile.exists()) {
 				try (Reader reader = new FileReader(packageFile)) {
diff --git a/toolchains/arduino/org.eclipse.cdt.arduino.ui/plugin.xml b/toolchains/arduino/org.eclipse.cdt.arduino.ui/plugin.xml
index 3e5c883c989..2d5f0e6d659 100644
--- a/toolchains/arduino/org.eclipse.cdt.arduino.ui/plugin.xml
+++ b/toolchains/arduino/org.eclipse.cdt.arduino.ui/plugin.xml
@@ -92,12 +92,6 @@
             id="org.eclipse.cdt.arduino.preference.page"
             name="%preferencePage.name">
       </page>
-      <page
-            category="org.eclipse.cdt.arduino.preference.page"
-            class="org.eclipse.cdt.arduino.ui.internal.preferences.ArduinoBoardsPreferencePage"
-            id="org.eclipse.cdt.arduino.preference.page.boards"
-            name="Boards">
-      </page>
       <page
             category="org.eclipse.cdt.arduino.preference.page"
             class="org.eclipse.cdt.arduino.ui.internal.preferences.ArduinoPlatformsPreferencePage"
diff --git a/toolchains/arduino/org.eclipse.cdt.arduino.ui/src/org/eclipse/cdt/arduino/ui/internal/Messages.java b/toolchains/arduino/org.eclipse.cdt.arduino.ui/src/org/eclipse/cdt/arduino/ui/internal/Messages.java
index ddbc9fff23e..1ec2ce693d3 100644
--- a/toolchains/arduino/org.eclipse.cdt.arduino.ui/src/org/eclipse/cdt/arduino/ui/internal/Messages.java
+++ b/toolchains/arduino/org.eclipse.cdt.arduino.ui/src/org/eclipse/cdt/arduino/ui/internal/Messages.java
@@ -24,7 +24,6 @@ public class Messages extends NLS {
 	public static String NewArduinoTargetWizardPage_3;
 	public static String NewArduinoTargetWizardPage_4;
 	public static String NewArduinoTargetWizardPage_5;
-	public static String ArduinoBoardsPreferencePage_desc;
 	public static String LibrariesPropertyPage_0;
 	public static String LibrariesPropertyPage_1;
 	public static String LibrariesPropertyPage_desc;
diff --git a/toolchains/arduino/org.eclipse.cdt.arduino.ui/src/org/eclipse/cdt/arduino/ui/internal/messages.properties b/toolchains/arduino/org.eclipse.cdt.arduino.ui/src/org/eclipse/cdt/arduino/ui/internal/messages.properties
index c108275701d..bca27033acc 100644
--- a/toolchains/arduino/org.eclipse.cdt.arduino.ui/src/org/eclipse/cdt/arduino/ui/internal/messages.properties
+++ b/toolchains/arduino/org.eclipse.cdt.arduino.ui/src/org/eclipse/cdt/arduino/ui/internal/messages.properties
@@ -18,8 +18,6 @@ NewArduinoTargetWizardPage_2=Target name:
 NewArduinoTargetWizardPage_3=
 NewArduinoTargetWizardPage_4=Serial port:
 NewArduinoTargetWizardPage_5=Board type:
-ArduinoBoardsPreferencePage_desc=NOTE: To install support for an Arduino board, please use the Arduino \
-Platforms preference page to install the platform support for that board.
 LibrariesPropertyPage_0=Name
 LibrariesPropertyPage_1=Description
 LibrariesPropertyPage_desc=Select libraries to use in your project and click OK or Apply. \
diff --git a/toolchains/arduino/org.eclipse.cdt.arduino.ui/src/org/eclipse/cdt/arduino/ui/internal/preferences/ArduinoBoardsPreferencePage.java b/toolchains/arduino/org.eclipse.cdt.arduino.ui/src/org/eclipse/cdt/arduino/ui/internal/preferences/ArduinoBoardsPreferencePage.java
deleted file mode 100644
index 488c7d032a7..00000000000
--- a/toolchains/arduino/org.eclipse.cdt.arduino.ui/src/org/eclipse/cdt/arduino/ui/internal/preferences/ArduinoBoardsPreferencePage.java
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,42 +0,0 @@
-/*******************************************************************************
- * Copyright (c) 2015 QNX Software Systems and others.
- * All rights reserved. This program and the accompanying materials
- * are made available under the terms of the Eclipse Public License v1.0
- * which accompanies this distribution, and is available at
- * http://www.eclipse.org/legal/epl-v10.html
- *******************************************************************************/
-package org.eclipse.cdt.arduino.ui.internal.preferences;
-
-import org.eclipse.cdt.arduino.ui.internal.Messages;
-import org.eclipse.jface.preference.PreferencePage;
-import org.eclipse.swt.SWT;
-import org.eclipse.swt.layout.GridData;
-import org.eclipse.swt.layout.GridLayout;
-import org.eclipse.swt.widgets.Composite;
-import org.eclipse.swt.widgets.Control;
-import org.eclipse.swt.widgets.Text;
-import org.eclipse.ui.IWorkbench;
-import org.eclipse.ui.IWorkbenchPreferencePage;
-
-public class ArduinoBoardsPreferencePage extends PreferencePage implements IWorkbenchPreferencePage {
-
-	@Override
-	public void init(IWorkbench workbench) {
-	}
-
-	@Override
-	protected Control createContents(Composite parent) {
-		Composite control = new Composite(parent, SWT.NONE);
-		control.setLayout(new GridLayout());
-
-		Text desc = new Text(control, SWT.READ_ONLY | SWT.WRAP);
-		GridData layoutData = new GridData(SWT.FILL, SWT.FILL, true, false);
-		layoutData.widthHint = 500;
-		desc.setLayoutData(layoutData);
-		desc.setBackground(parent.getBackground());
-		desc.setText(Messages.ArduinoBoardsPreferencePage_desc);
-
-		return control;
-	}
-
-}