diff --git a/cmd/minikube/cmd/start.go b/cmd/minikube/cmd/start.go
index 3dbc0d4753..4b0772803c 100644
--- a/cmd/minikube/cmd/start.go
+++ b/cmd/minikube/cmd/start.go
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/google/go-containerregistry/pkg/authn"
 	"github.com/google/go-containerregistry/pkg/name"
 	"github.com/google/go-containerregistry/pkg/v1/remote"
+	gopshost "github.com/shirou/gopsutil/host"
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
 	"github.com/spf13/viper"
 	"golang.org/x/sync/errgroup"
@@ -206,9 +207,41 @@ var startCmd = &cobra.Command{
 	Run:   runStart,
 }
 
+// platform generates a user-readable platform message
+func platform() string {
+	var s strings.Builder
+
+	// Show the distro version if possible
+	hi, err := gopshost.Info()
+	if err == nil {
+		s.WriteString(fmt.Sprintf("%s %s", strings.Title(hi.Platform), hi.PlatformVersion))
+		glog.Infof("hostinfo: %+v", hi)
+	} else {
+		glog.Errorf("gopshost.Info returned error: %v", err)
+		s.WriteString(runtime.GOOS)
+	}
+
+	vsys, vrole, err := gopshost.Virtualization()
+	if err != nil {
+		glog.Errorf("gopshost.Virtualization returned error: %v", err)
+	} else {
+		glog.Infof("virtualization: %s %s", vsys, vrole)
+	}
+
+	// This environment is exotic, let's output a bit more.
+	if vrole == "guest" || runtime.GOARCH != "amd64" {
+		s.WriteString(fmt.Sprintf(" (%s/%s)", vsys, runtime.GOARCH))
+	}
+	return s.String()
+}
+
 // runStart handles the executes the flow of "minikube start"
 func runStart(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
-	out.T(out.Happy, "minikube {{.version}} on {{.os}} ({{.arch}})", out.V{"version": version.GetVersion(), "os": runtime.GOOS, "arch": runtime.GOARCH})
+	prefix := ""
+	if viper.GetString(cfg.MachineProfile) != constants.DefaultMachineName {
+		prefix = fmt.Sprintf("[%s]", viper.GetString(cfg.MachineProfile))
+	}
+	out.T(out.Happy, "{{.prefix}}minikube {{.version}} on {{.platform}}", out.V{"prefix": prefix, "version": version.GetVersion(), "platform": platform()})
 
 	vmDriver := viper.GetString(vmDriver)
 	if err := cmdcfg.IsValidDriver(runtime.GOOS, vmDriver); err != nil {
@@ -342,7 +375,7 @@ func skipCache(config *cfg.Config) {
 
 func showVersionInfo(k8sVersion string, cr cruntime.Manager) {
 	version, _ := cr.Version()
-	out.T(cr.Style(), "Configuring environment for Kubernetes {{.k8sVersion}} on {{.runtime}} {{.runtimeVersion}}", out.V{"k8sVersion": k8sVersion, "runtime": cr.Name(), "runtimeVersion": version})
+	out.T(cr.Style(), "Preparing Kubernetes {{.k8sVersion}} on {{.runtime}} {{.runtimeVersion}} ...", out.V{"k8sVersion": k8sVersion, "runtime": cr.Name(), "runtimeVersion": version})
 	for _, v := range dockerOpt {
 		out.T(out.Option, "opt {{.docker_option}}", out.V{"docker_option": v})
 	}
@@ -355,11 +388,7 @@ func showKubectlConnectInfo(kubeconfig *pkgutil.KubeConfigSetup) {
 	if kubeconfig.KeepContext {
 		out.T(out.Kubectl, "To connect to this cluster, use: kubectl --context={{.name}}", out.V{"name": kubeconfig.ClusterName})
 	} else {
-		if !viper.GetBool(waitUntilHealthy) {
-			out.T(out.Ready, "kubectl has been configured configured to use {{.name}}", out.V{"name": cfg.GetMachineName()})
-		} else {
-			out.T(out.Ready, "Done! kubectl is now configured to use {{.name}}", out.V{"name": cfg.GetMachineName()})
-		}
+		out.T(out.Ready, `Done! kubectl is now configured to use "{{.name}}"`, out.V{"name": cfg.GetMachineName()})
 	}
 	_, err := exec.LookPath("kubectl")
 	if err != nil {
@@ -828,7 +857,7 @@ func bootstrapCluster(bs bootstrapper.Bootstrapper, r cruntime.Manager, runner c
 	}
 
 	if preexisting {
-		out.T(out.Restarting, "Relaunching Kubernetes {{.version}} using {{.bootstrapper}} ... ", out.V{"version": kc.KubernetesVersion, "bootstrapper": bsName})
+		out.T(out.Restarting, "Relaunching Kubernetes using {{.bootstrapper}} ... ", out.V{"bootstrapper": bsName})
 		if err := bs.RestartCluster(kc); err != nil {
 			exit.WithLogEntries("Error restarting cluster", err, logs.FindProblems(r, bs, runner))
 		}
diff --git a/pkg/minikube/cluster/cluster.go b/pkg/minikube/cluster/cluster.go
index 65cd0b877c..a533f3a8fa 100644
--- a/pkg/minikube/cluster/cluster.go
+++ b/pkg/minikube/cluster/cluster.go
@@ -409,7 +409,7 @@ func showRemoteOsRelease(driver drivers.Driver) {
 		return
 	}
 
-	out.T(out.Provisioner, "Provisioned with {{.pretty_name}}", out.V{"pretty_name": osReleaseInfo.PrettyName})
+	glog.Infof("Provisioned with %s", osReleaseInfo.PrettyName)
 }
 
 func createHost(api libmachine.API, config cfg.MachineConfig) (*host.Host, error) {
diff --git a/pkg/minikube/logs/logs.go b/pkg/minikube/logs/logs.go
index 0e382eb87f..cc6d67a411 100644
--- a/pkg/minikube/logs/logs.go
+++ b/pkg/minikube/logs/logs.go
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ func Output(r cruntime.Manager, bs bootstrapper.Bootstrapper, runner command.Run
 	cmds := logCommands(r, bs, lines, false)
 
 	// These are not technically logs, but are useful to have in bug reports.
-	cmds["kernel"] = "uptime && uname -a"
+	cmds["kernel"] = "uptime && uname -a && grep PRETTY /etc/os-release"
 
 	names := []string{}
 	for k := range cmds {