diff --git a/arduino-ide-extension/src/browser/contributions/upload-sketch.ts b/arduino-ide-extension/src/browser/contributions/upload-sketch.ts
index 079a4a86..c50379e4 100644
--- a/arduino-ide-extension/src/browser/contributions/upload-sketch.ts
+++ b/arduino-ide-extension/src/browser/contributions/upload-sketch.ts
@@ -86,29 +86,45 @@ export class UploadSketch extends SketchContribution {
             if (!boardsConfig || !boardsConfig.selectedBoard) {
                 throw new Error('No boards selected. Please select a board.');
             }
-            const { selectedPort } = boardsConfig;
-            if (!selectedPort) {
-                throw new Error('No ports selected. Please select a port.');
-            }
             if (!boardsConfig.selectedBoard.fqbn) {
                 throw new Error(`No core is installed for the '${boardsConfig.selectedBoard.name}' board. Please install the core.`);
             }
-            const [fqbn, data] = await Promise.all([
+
+            const [fqbn, { selectedProgrammer }] = await Promise.all([
                 this.boardsDataStore.appendConfigToFqbn(boardsConfig.selectedBoard.fqbn),
                 this.boardsDataStore.getData(boardsConfig.selectedBoard.fqbn)
             ]);
-            this.outputChannelManager.getChannel('Arduino: upload').clear();
-            const programmer = usingProgrammer ? data.selectedProgrammer : undefined;
-            if (usingProgrammer && !programmer) {
-                this.messageService.warn('Programmer is not selected. Uploading without programmer.', { timeout: 2000 });
+
+            let options: CoreService.Upload.Options | undefined = undefined;
+            const sketchUri = uri;
+            const optimizeForDebug = this.editorMode.compileForDebug;
+
+            if (usingProgrammer) {
+                const programmer = selectedProgrammer;
+                if (!programmer) {
+                    throw new Error('Programmer is not selected. Please select a programmer.');
+                }
+                options = {
+                    sketchUri,
+                    fqbn,
+                    optimizeForDebug,
+                    programmer
+                };
+            } else {
+                const { selectedPort } = boardsConfig;
+                if (!selectedPort) {
+                    throw new Error('No ports selected. Please select a port.');
+                }
+                const port = selectedPort.address;
+                options = {
+                    sketchUri,
+                    fqbn,
+                    optimizeForDebug,
+                    port
+                };
             }
-            await this.coreService.upload({
-                sketchUri: uri,
-                fqbn,
-                port: selectedPort.address,
-                optimizeForDebug: this.editorMode.compileForDebug,
-                programmer
-            });
+            this.outputChannelManager.getChannel('Arduino: upload').clear();
+            await this.coreService.upload(options);
             this.messageService.info('Done uploading.', { timeout: 1000 });
         } catch (e) {
             this.messageService.error(e.toString());
diff --git a/arduino-ide-extension/src/common/protocol/core-service.ts b/arduino-ide-extension/src/common/protocol/core-service.ts
index a6baa0b4..1a0c6edc 100644
--- a/arduino-ide-extension/src/common/protocol/core-service.ts
+++ b/arduino-ide-extension/src/common/protocol/core-service.ts
@@ -20,14 +20,13 @@ export namespace CoreService {
             readonly sketchUri: string;
             readonly fqbn: string;
             readonly optimizeForDebug: boolean;
-            readonly programmer?: Programmer | undefined;
         }
     }
 
     export namespace Upload {
-        export interface Options extends Compile.Options {
-            readonly port: string;
-        }
+        export type Options =
+            Compile.Options & Readonly<{ port: string }> |
+            Compile.Options & Readonly<{ programmer: Programmer }>;
     }
 
 }
diff --git a/arduino-ide-extension/src/node/core-service-impl.ts b/arduino-ide-extension/src/node/core-service-impl.ts
index c19da8d6..0c1127bc 100644
--- a/arduino-ide-extension/src/node/core-service-impl.ts
+++ b/arduino-ide-extension/src/node/core-service-impl.ts
@@ -61,9 +61,6 @@ export class CoreServiceImpl implements CoreService {
         compilerReq.setPreprocess(false);
         compilerReq.setVerbose(true);
         compilerReq.setQuiet(false);
-        if (options.programmer) {
-            compilerReq.setProgrammer(options.programmer.id);
-        }
 
         const result = client.compile(compilerReq);
         try {
@@ -106,8 +103,9 @@ export class CoreServiceImpl implements CoreService {
         uploadReq.setInstance(instance);
         uploadReq.setSketchPath(sketchpath);
         uploadReq.setFqbn(fqbn);
-        uploadReq.setPort(options.port);
-        if (options.programmer) {
+        if ('port' in options) {
+            uploadReq.setPort(options.port);
+        } else {
             uploadReq.setProgrammer(options.programmer.id);
         }
         const result = client.upload(uploadReq);