diff --git a/pkg/minikube/machine/cluster_test.go b/pkg/minikube/machine/cluster_test.go
index 3dfdc303e2..3adbcf4a34 100644
--- a/pkg/minikube/machine/cluster_test.go
+++ b/pkg/minikube/machine/cluster_test.go
@@ -290,7 +290,7 @@ func TestStartHostConfig(t *testing.T) {
 
 	for i := range h.HostOptions.EngineOptions.Env {
 		if h.HostOptions.EngineOptions.Env[i] != cfg.DockerEnv[i] {
-			t.Fatal("Docker env variables were not set!")
+			t.Fatalf("Docker env variables were not set! got %+v but want %+v",h.HostOptions.EngineOptions.Env,cfg.DockerEnv)
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/pkg/minikube/machine/start.go b/pkg/minikube/machine/start.go
index be0d1f84f8..fc8d7d541d 100644
--- a/pkg/minikube/machine/start.go
+++ b/pkg/minikube/machine/start.go
@@ -107,9 +107,6 @@ func engineOptions(cfg config.ClusterConfig) *engine.Options {
 		}
 	}
 
-	// config.DockerEnv is a global so we update that one too
-	config.DockerEnv = uniqueEnvs
-
 	o := engine.Options{
 		Env:              uniqueEnvs,
 		InsecureRegistry: append([]string{constants.DefaultServiceCIDR}, cfg.InsecureRegistry...),