diff --git a/cmd/minikube/cmd/tunnel.go b/cmd/minikube/cmd/tunnel.go
index 2e4e169495..9322e0b084 100644
--- a/cmd/minikube/cmd/tunnel.go
+++ b/cmd/minikube/cmd/tunnel.go
@@ -136,12 +136,11 @@ func mustLockOrExit() {
 
 	_, err := os.OpenFile(tunnelLockPath, os.O_RDWR|os.O_TRUNC, 0600)
 	if err != nil {
-		if os.IsNotExist(err) {
-			_, err = os.Create(tunnelLockPath)
-			if err != nil {
-				exit.Error(reason.SvcTunnelStart, fmt.Sprintf("error creating lock for tunnel file (%s)", tunnelLockPath), err)
-			}
-		} else {
+		if !os.IsNotExist(err) {
+			exit.Error(reason.SvcTunnelStart, fmt.Sprintf("error opening lock file for tunnel file (%s)", tunnelLockPath), err)
+		}
+		_, err = os.Create(tunnelLockPath)
+		if err != nil {
 			exit.Error(reason.SvcTunnelStart, fmt.Sprintf("error creating lock for tunnel file (%s)", tunnelLockPath), err)
 		}
 	}