diff --git a/commands/board/list.go b/commands/board/list.go
index 2b3ff3f3893..5098ced4cfd 100644
--- a/commands/board/list.go
+++ b/commands/board/list.go
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/arduino/arduino-cli/arduino/discovery"
 	"github.com/arduino/arduino-cli/arduino/httpclient"
 	"github.com/arduino/arduino-cli/commands"
-	"github.com/arduino/arduino-cli/inventory"
+	"github.com/arduino/arduino-cli/internal/inventory"
 	rpc "github.com/arduino/arduino-cli/rpc/cc/arduino/cli/commands/v1"
 	"github.com/pkg/errors"
 	"github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
diff --git a/commands/compile/compile.go b/commands/compile/compile.go
index 57e72a6dc60..ba904fddad0 100644
--- a/commands/compile/compile.go
+++ b/commands/compile/compile.go
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/arduino/arduino-cli/commands"
 	"github.com/arduino/arduino-cli/configuration"
 	"github.com/arduino/arduino-cli/i18n"
-	"github.com/arduino/arduino-cli/inventory"
+	"github.com/arduino/arduino-cli/internal/inventory"
 	"github.com/arduino/arduino-cli/legacy/builder"
 	"github.com/arduino/arduino-cli/legacy/builder/types"
 	rpc "github.com/arduino/arduino-cli/rpc/cc/arduino/cli/commands/v1"
diff --git a/docs/UPGRADING.md b/docs/UPGRADING.md
index 90e2ed3fa1c..31490513af2 100644
--- a/docs/UPGRADING.md
+++ b/docs/UPGRADING.md
@@ -4,6 +4,10 @@ Here you can find a list of migration guides to handle breaking changes between
 
 ## 0.34.0
 
+### golang package `github.com/arduino/arduino-cli/inventory` removed from public API
+
+The package `inventory` is no more a public golang API.
+
 ### `board list --watch` command JSON output has changed
 
 `board list --watch` command JSON output changed from:
diff --git a/internal/cli/cli.go b/internal/cli/cli.go
index c7f6753182f..4f0e98c28bd 100644
--- a/internal/cli/cli.go
+++ b/internal/cli/cli.go
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/arduino/arduino-cli/internal/cli/upgrade"
 	"github.com/arduino/arduino-cli/internal/cli/upload"
 	"github.com/arduino/arduino-cli/internal/cli/version"
-	"github.com/arduino/arduino-cli/inventory"
+	"github.com/arduino/arduino-cli/internal/inventory"
 	versioninfo "github.com/arduino/arduino-cli/version"
 	"github.com/fatih/color"
 	"github.com/mattn/go-colorable"
diff --git a/internal/cli/updater/updater.go b/internal/cli/updater/updater.go
index 09b9ab18125..bd779b16af1 100644
--- a/internal/cli/updater/updater.go
+++ b/internal/cli/updater/updater.go
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/arduino/arduino-cli/configuration"
 	"github.com/arduino/arduino-cli/i18n"
 	"github.com/arduino/arduino-cli/internal/cli/feedback"
-	"github.com/arduino/arduino-cli/inventory"
+	"github.com/arduino/arduino-cli/internal/inventory"
 	"github.com/arduino/arduino-cli/version"
 	"github.com/fatih/color"
 	semver "go.bug.st/relaxed-semver"
diff --git a/internal/integrationtest/board/board_test.go b/internal/integrationtest/board/board_test.go
index cf86506853e..daf4e948bbd 100644
--- a/internal/integrationtest/board/board_test.go
+++ b/internal/integrationtest/board/board_test.go
@@ -589,3 +589,21 @@ func TestBoardListWithFailedBuiltinInstallation(t *testing.T) {
 	require.Empty(t, stderr)
 	require.Contains(t, string(stdout), "Downloading missing tool builtin:serial-discovery")
 }
+
+func TestCLIStartupWithCorruptedInventory(t *testing.T) {
+	env, cli := integrationtest.CreateArduinoCLIWithEnvironment(t)
+	defer env.CleanUp()
+
+	_, _, err := cli.Run("core", "update-index")
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	f, err := cli.DataDir().Join("inventory.yaml").Append()
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	_, err = f.WriteString(`data: '[{"name":"WCH;32?'","fqbn":"esp32:esp32:esp32s3camlcd"}]'`)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	// the CLI should not be able to load inventory and report it to the logs
+	_, stderr, err := cli.Run("core", "update-index", "-v")
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	require.Contains(t, string(stderr), "Error loading inventory store")
+}
diff --git a/inventory/inventory.go b/internal/inventory/inventory.go
similarity index 87%
rename from inventory/inventory.go
rename to internal/inventory/inventory.go
index 8411a58fc2c..ff7aab2c549 100644
--- a/inventory/inventory.go
+++ b/internal/inventory/inventory.go
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/arduino/arduino-cli/i18n"
 	"github.com/gofrs/uuid"
+	"github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
 	"github.com/spf13/viper"
 )
 
@@ -46,17 +47,15 @@ func Init(configPath string) error {
 	Store.AddConfigPath(configPath)
 	// Attempt to read config file
 	if err := Store.ReadInConfig(); err != nil {
-		// ConfigFileNotFoundError is acceptable, anything else
-		// should be reported to the user
-		if _, ok := err.(viper.ConfigFileNotFoundError); ok {
-			if err := generateInstallationData(); err != nil {
-				return err
-			}
-			if err := WriteStore(); err != nil {
-				return err
-			}
-		} else {
-			return fmt.Errorf(tr("reading inventory file: %w"), err)
+		if _, ok := err.(viper.ConfigFileNotFoundError); !ok {
+			// If an error occurs during initalization of the store, just log it and recreate it from scratch.
+			logrus.WithError(err).Error("Error loading inventory store")
+		}
+		if err := generateInstallationData(); err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		if err := WriteStore(); err != nil {
+			return err
 		}
 	}