diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index dc36fab3..5869d3c8 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -890,7 +890,7 @@
   },
   "dependencies": {
     "fs-plus": "~3.1.1",
-    "platformio-node-helpers": "~11.3.0",
+    "platformio-node-helpers": "file:../platformio-node-helpers/platformio-node-helpers-11.3.0.tgz",
     "platformio-vscode-debug": "~1.4.1"
   },
   "devDependencies": {
@@ -903,8 +903,5 @@
     "prettier": "~3.4.2",
     "webpack": "~5.97.1",
     "webpack-cli": "~6.0.1"
-  },
-  "extensionDependencies": [
-    "ms-vscode.cpptools"
-  ]
+  }
 }
diff --git a/src/constants.js b/src/constants.js
index 16d4b667..060e0e94 100644
--- a/src/constants.js
+++ b/src/constants.js
@@ -11,8 +11,10 @@ export const IS_OSX = process.platform == 'darwin';
 export const IS_LINUX = !IS_WINDOWS && !IS_OSX;
 export const PIO_CORE_VERSION_SPEC = '>=6.1.6';
 export const STATUS_BAR_PRIORITY_START = 10;
+export const CPPTOOLS_EXTENSION_ID = 'ms-vscode.cpptools';
+export const CLANGD_EXTENSION_ID = 'llvm-vs-code-extensions.vscode-clangd';
+
 export const CONFLICTED_EXTENSION_IDS = [
-  'llvm-vs-code-extensions.vscode-clangd',
   'vsciot-vscode.vscode-arduino',
   'vscode-openapi',
 ];
diff --git a/src/main.js b/src/main.js
index b3bac80c..d009e925 100644
--- a/src/main.js
+++ b/src/main.js
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ class PlatformIOVSCodeExtension {
 
   async activate(context) {
     this.context = context;
+    utils.setExtensionContext(context);
     this.pioHome = new PIOHome();
     this.pioTerm = new PIOTerminal();
     this.subscriptions.push(this.pioHome, this.pioTerm, new PIOReleaseNotes());
@@ -100,6 +101,7 @@ class PlatformIOVSCodeExtension {
 
     misc.maybeRateExtension();
     misc.warnAboutConflictedExtensions();
+    misc.warnMissingIntelliSenseEngine();
     this.subscriptions.push(
       vscode.window.onDidChangeActiveTextEditor((editor) =>
         misc.warnAboutInoFile(editor),
@@ -112,11 +114,9 @@ class PlatformIOVSCodeExtension {
   }
 
   loadEnterpriseSettings() {
+    const myId = this.context.extension.id;
     const ext = vscode.extensions.all.find(
-      (item) =>
-        item.id.startsWith('platformio.') &&
-        item.id !== 'platformio.platformio-ide' &&
-        item.isActive,
+      (item) => item.id.startsWith('platformio.') && item.id !== myId && item.isActive,
     );
     return ext && ext.exports ? ext.exports.settings : undefined;
   }
diff --git a/src/misc.js b/src/misc.js
index cb340885..cdcabd27 100644
--- a/src/misc.js
+++ b/src/misc.js
@@ -6,7 +6,11 @@
  * the root directory of this source tree.
  */
 
-import { CONFLICTED_EXTENSION_IDS } from './constants';
+import {
+  CLANGD_EXTENSION_ID,
+  CONFLICTED_EXTENSION_IDS,
+  CPPTOOLS_EXTENSION_ID,
+} from './constants';
 import { extension } from './main';
 import vscode from 'vscode';
 
@@ -122,3 +126,43 @@ export async function warnAboutInoFile(editor) {
       break;
   }
 }
+
+export async function warnMissingIntelliSenseEngine() {
+  const hasCppTools = vscode.extensions.getExtension(CPPTOOLS_EXTENSION_ID);
+  const hasClangd = vscode.extensions.getExtension(CLANGD_EXTENSION_ID);
+
+  if (hasCppTools || hasClangd) {
+    return;
+  }
+
+  const stateKey = 'intellisense-warn-disabled';
+  if (extension.context.globalState.get(stateKey)) {
+    return;
+  }
+
+  const selectedItem = await vscode.window.showWarningMessage(
+    'PlatformIO recommends installing a C/C++ Language Server (like Microsoft C/C++ or Clangd) for full IntelliSense.',
+    { title: 'Install Microsoft C/C++', isCloseAffordance: false },
+    { title: 'Install Clangd', isCloseAffordance: false },
+    { title: 'Do not show again', isCloseAffordance: false },
+    { title: 'Remind later', isCloseAffordance: true },
+  );
+
+  switch (selectedItem ? selectedItem.title : undefined) {
+    case 'Install Microsoft C/C++':
+      vscode.commands.executeCommand(
+        'workbench.extensions.installExtension',
+        CPPTOOLS_EXTENSION_ID,
+      );
+      break;
+    case 'Install Clangd':
+      vscode.commands.executeCommand(
+        'workbench.extensions.installExtension',
+        CLANGD_EXTENSION_ID,
+      );
+      break;
+    case 'Do not show again':
+      extension.context.globalState.update(stateKey, 1);
+      break;
+  }
+}
diff --git a/src/utils.js b/src/utils.js
index 31ea5264..e81d0039 100644
--- a/src/utils.js
+++ b/src/utils.js
@@ -53,8 +53,20 @@ export async function notifyError(title, err) {
   console.error(err);
 }
 
+let _extensionContext = null;
+
+export function setExtensionContext(context) {
+  _extensionContext = context;
+}
+
 export function getIDEManifest() {
-  return vscode.extensions.getExtension('platformio.platformio-ide').packageJSON;
+  if (!_extensionContext) {
+    console.warn(
+      'Attempting to get IDE manifest before extension context was injected.',
+    );
+    return { version: '0.0.0' }; // safe fallback
+  }
+  return _extensionContext.extension.packageJSON;
 }
 
 export function getIDEVersion() {