diff --git a/tools/idf.py b/tools/idf.py
index 0b91e13ff08b..1d05593aed08 100755
--- a/tools/idf.py
+++ b/tools/idf.py
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@
 from importlib import import_module
 from pkgutil import iter_modules
 from types import FrameType
-from typing import Any, Callable, Dict, List, Optional, TextIO, Union
+from typing import Any, Callable, Dict, List, Optional, Union
 
 # pyc files remain in the filesystem when switching between branches which might raise errors for incompatible
 # idf.py extensions. Therefore, pyc file generation is turned off:
@@ -37,8 +37,8 @@
 
 try:
     from idf_py_actions.errors import FatalError  # noqa: E402
-    from idf_py_actions.tools import (PropertyDict, executable_exists, get_target, idf_version,  # noqa: E402
-                                      merge_action_lists, realpath)
+    from idf_py_actions.tools import (PROG, SHELL_COMPLETE_RUN, SHELL_COMPLETE_VAR, PropertyDict,  # noqa: E402
+                                      debug_print_idf_version, get_target, merge_action_lists, print_warning, realpath)
     if os.getenv('IDF_COMPONENT_MANAGER') != '0':
         from idf_component_manager import idf_extensions
 except ImportError:
@@ -53,23 +53,6 @@
 # you have to pass env=os.environ explicitly anywhere that we create a process
 os.environ['PYTHON'] = sys.executable
 
-# Name of the program, normally 'idf.py'.
-# Can be overridden from idf.bat using IDF_PY_PROGRAM_NAME
-PROG = os.getenv('IDF_PY_PROGRAM_NAME', 'idf.py')
-
-# environment variable used during click shell completion run
-SHELL_COMPLETE_VAR = '_IDF.PY_COMPLETE'
-
-# was shell completion invoked?
-SHELL_COMPLETE_RUN = SHELL_COMPLETE_VAR in os.environ
-
-
-# function prints warning when autocompletion is not being performed
-# set argument stream to sys.stderr for errors and exceptions
-def print_warning(message: str, stream: TextIO=None) -> None:
-    if not SHELL_COMPLETE_RUN:
-        print(message, file=stream or sys.stderr)
-
 
 def check_environment() -> List:
     """
@@ -79,10 +62,6 @@ def check_environment() -> List:
     """
     checks_output = []
 
-    if not executable_exists(['cmake', '--version']):
-        debug_print_idf_version()
-        raise FatalError("'cmake' must be available on the PATH to use %s" % PROG)
-
     # verify that IDF_PATH env variable is set
     # find the directory idf.py is in, then the parent directory of this, and assume this is IDF_PATH
     detected_idf_path = realpath(os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), '..'))
@@ -137,14 +116,6 @@ def _safe_relpath(path: str, start: Optional[str]=None) -> str:
         return os.path.abspath(path)
 
 
-def debug_print_idf_version() -> None:
-    version = idf_version()
-    if version:
-        print_warning('ESP-IDF %s' % version)
-    else:
-        print_warning('ESP-IDF version unknown')
-
-
 def init_cli(verbose_output: List=None) -> Any:
     # Click is imported here to run it after check_environment()
     import click
diff --git a/tools/idf_py_actions/tools.py b/tools/idf_py_actions/tools.py
index cfacc7239c7a..4e8f7ec9198b 100644
--- a/tools/idf_py_actions/tools.py
+++ b/tools/idf_py_actions/tools.py
@@ -16,6 +16,16 @@
 from .constants import GENERATORS
 from .errors import FatalError
 
+# Name of the program, normally 'idf.py'.
+# Can be overridden from idf.bat using IDF_PY_PROGRAM_NAME
+PROG = os.getenv('IDF_PY_PROGRAM_NAME', 'idf.py')
+
+# environment variable used during click shell completion run
+SHELL_COMPLETE_VAR = '_IDF.PY_COMPLETE'
+
+# was shell completion invoked?
+SHELL_COMPLETE_RUN = SHELL_COMPLETE_VAR in os.environ
+
 
 def executable_exists(args: List) -> bool:
     try:
@@ -78,6 +88,13 @@ def idf_version() -> Optional[str]:
     return version
 
 
+# function prints warning when autocompletion is not being performed
+# set argument stream to sys.stderr for errors and exceptions
+def print_warning(message: str, stream: TextIO=None) -> None:
+    if not SHELL_COMPLETE_RUN:
+        print(message, file=stream or sys.stderr)
+
+
 def color_print(message: str, color: str, newline: Optional[str]='\n') -> None:
     """ Print a message to stderr with colored highlighting """
     ansi_normal = '\033[0m'
@@ -95,6 +112,10 @@ def red_print(message: str, newline: Optional[str]='\n') -> None:
     color_print(message, ansi_red, newline)
 
 
+def debug_print_idf_version() -> None:
+    print_warning(f'ESP-IDF {idf_version() or "version unknown"}')
+
+
 def print_hints(*filenames: str) -> None:
     """Getting output files and printing hints on how to resolve errors based on the output."""
     with open(os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), 'hints.yml'), 'r') as file:
@@ -383,6 +404,11 @@ def ensure_build_directory(args: 'PropertyDict', prog_name: str, always_run_cmak
     the build directory, an error is raised. If the parameter is None, this function will set it to
     an auto-detected default generator or to the value already configured in the build directory.
     """
+
+    if not executable_exists(['cmake', '--version']):
+        debug_print_idf_version()
+        raise FatalError(f'"cmake" must be available on the PATH to use {PROG}')
+
     project_dir = args.project_dir
     # Verify the project directory
     if not os.path.isdir(project_dir):