diff --git a/tools/idf_monitor.py b/tools/idf_monitor.py
index c4290e83db..7db365a68e 100755
--- a/tools/idf_monitor.py
+++ b/tools/idf_monitor.py
@@ -991,24 +991,12 @@ class Monitor(object):
 
 
 def main():
-
-    def _get_default_serial_port():
-        """
-        Same logic for detecting serial port as esptool.py and idf.py: reverse sort by name and choose the first port.
-        """
-
-        try:
-            ports = list(reversed(sorted(p.device for p in serial.tools.list_ports.comports())))
-            return ports[0]
-        except Exception:
-            return '/dev/ttyUSB0'
-
     parser = argparse.ArgumentParser("idf_monitor - a serial output monitor for esp-idf")
 
     parser.add_argument(
         '--port', '-p',
         help='Serial port device',
-        default=os.environ.get('ESPTOOL_PORT', _get_default_serial_port())
+        default=os.environ.get('ESPTOOL_PORT', '/dev/ttyUSB0')
     )
 
     parser.add_argument(
diff --git a/tools/idf_py_actions/serial_ext.py b/tools/idf_py_actions/serial_ext.py
index da36e0d337..d5fb6202f1 100644
--- a/tools/idf_py_actions/serial_ext.py
+++ b/tools/idf_py_actions/serial_ext.py
@@ -12,28 +12,25 @@ PYTHON = sys.executable
 
 
 def action_extensions(base_actions, project_path):
-    def _get_default_serial_port():
-        """ Return a default serial port. esptool can do this (smarter), but it can create
-        inconsistencies where esptool.py uses one port and idf_monitor uses another.
-
-        Same logic as esptool.py search order, reverse sort by name and choose the first port.
-        """
+    def _get_default_serial_port(args):
         # Import is done here in order to move it after the check_environment() ensured that pyserial has been installed
-        import serial.tools.list_ports
-
-        ports = list(reversed(sorted(p.device for p in serial.tools.list_ports.comports())))
         try:
-            print("Choosing default port %s (use '-p PORT' option to set a specific serial port)" %
-                  ports[0].encode("ascii", "ignore"))
-            return ports[0]
-        except IndexError:
-            raise FatalError(
-                "No serial ports found. Connect a device, or use '-p PORT' option to set a specific port.")
+            import serial.tools.list_ports
+            esptool_path = os.path.join(os.environ["IDF_PATH"], "components/esptool_py/esptool/")
+            sys.path.insert(0, esptool_path)
+            import esptool
+            ports = list(sorted(p.device for p in serial.tools.list_ports.comports()))
+            esp = esptool.get_default_connected_device(serial_list=ports, port=None, connect_attempts=3,
+                                                       initial_baud=args.baud)
+
+            return esp.serial_port
+        except Exception:
+            raise FatalError("No serial ports found. Connect a device, or use '-p PORT' option to set a specific port.")
 
     def _get_esptool_args(args):
         esptool_path = os.path.join(os.environ["IDF_PATH"], "components/esptool_py/esptool/esptool.py")
         if args.port is None:
-            args.port = _get_default_serial_port()
+            args.port = _get_default_serial_port(args)
         result = [PYTHON, esptool_path]
         result += ["-p", args.port]
         result += ["-b", str(args.baud)]
@@ -66,8 +63,7 @@ def action_extensions(base_actions, project_path):
         """
         Run idf_monitor.py to watch build output
         """
-        if args.port is None:
-            args.port = _get_default_serial_port()
+
         desc_path = os.path.join(args.build_dir, "project_description.json")
         if not os.path.exists(desc_path):
             ensure_build_directory(args, ctx.info_name)
@@ -81,8 +77,8 @@ def action_extensions(base_actions, project_path):
                              "Try '%s flash monitor'." % (elf_file, ctx.info_name), ctx)
         idf_monitor = os.path.join(os.environ["IDF_PATH"], "tools/idf_monitor.py")
         monitor_args = [PYTHON, idf_monitor]
-        if args.port is not None:
-            monitor_args += ["-p", args.port]
+        esp_port = args.port or _get_default_serial_port(args)
+        monitor_args += ["-p", esp_port]
 
         if not monitor_baud:
             monitor_baud = os.getenv("IDF_MONITOR_BAUD") or os.getenv("MONITORBAUD") or project_desc["monitor_baud"]
@@ -117,11 +113,8 @@ def action_extensions(base_actions, project_path):
         Run esptool to flash the entire project, from an argfile generated by the build system
         """
         ensure_build_directory(args, ctx.info_name)
-        if args.port is None:
-            args.port = _get_default_serial_port()
-
-        run_target(action, args, {"ESPPORT": args.port,
-                                  "ESPBAUD": str(args.baud)})
+        esp_port = args.port or _get_default_serial_port(args)
+        run_target(action, args, {"ESPBAUD": str(args.baud),"ESPPORT": esp_port})
 
     def erase_flash(action, ctx, args):
         ensure_build_directory(args, ctx.info_name)