diff --git a/cmd/minikube/cmd/start.go b/cmd/minikube/cmd/start.go
index 2ae17838be..5c7a21c59f 100644
--- a/cmd/minikube/cmd/start.go
+++ b/cmd/minikube/cmd/start.go
@@ -316,7 +316,7 @@ func runStart(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
 		updateDriver(driverName)
 	}
 
-	k8sVersion, isUpgrade := getKubernetesVersion(existing)
+	k8sVersion := getKubernetesVersion(existing)
 	mc, n, err := generateCfgFromFlags(cmd, k8sVersion, driverName)
 	if err != nil {
 		exit.WithError("Failed to generate config", err)
@@ -365,7 +365,7 @@ func runStart(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
 	bs := setupKubeAdm(machineAPI, mc, n)
 
 	// pull images or restart cluster
-	bootstrapCluster(bs, cr, mRunner, mc, preExists, isUpgrade)
+	bootstrapCluster(bs, cr, mRunner, mc)
 	configureMounts()
 
 	// enable addons, both old and new!
@@ -1187,9 +1187,8 @@ func tryRegistry(r command.Runner) {
 }
 
 // getKubernetesVersion ensures that the requested version is reasonable
-func getKubernetesVersion(old *config.MachineConfig) (string, bool) {
+func getKubernetesVersion(old *config.MachineConfig) string {
 	paramVersion := viper.GetString(kubernetesVersion)
-	isUpgrade := false
 
 	if paramVersion == "" { // if the user did not specify any version then ...
 		if old != nil { // .. use the old version from config (if any)
@@ -1207,7 +1206,7 @@ func getKubernetesVersion(old *config.MachineConfig) (string, bool) {
 	nv := version.VersionPrefix + nvs.String()
 
 	if old == nil || old.KubernetesConfig.KubernetesVersion == "" {
-		return nv, isUpgrade
+		return nv
 	}
 
 	oldestVersion, err := semver.Make(strings.TrimPrefix(constants.OldestKubernetesVersion, version.VersionPrefix))
@@ -1249,11 +1248,7 @@ func getKubernetesVersion(old *config.MachineConfig) (string, bool) {
 	if defaultVersion.GT(nvs) {
 		out.T(out.ThumbsUp, "Kubernetes {{.new}} is now available. If you would like to upgrade, specify: --kubernetes-version={{.new}}", out.V{"new": defaultVersion})
 	}
-
-	if nvs.GT(ovs) {
-		isUpgrade = true
-	}
-	return nv, isUpgrade
+	return nv
 }
 
 // setupKubeAdm adds any requested files into the VM before Kubernetes is started
@@ -1296,14 +1291,7 @@ func configureRuntimes(runner cruntime.CommandRunner, drvName string, k8s config
 }
 
 // bootstrapCluster starts Kubernetes using the chosen bootstrapper
-func bootstrapCluster(bs bootstrapper.Bootstrapper, r cruntime.Manager, runner command.Runner, mc config.MachineConfig, preexisting bool, isUpgrade bool) {
-	if isUpgrade || !preexisting {
-		out.T(out.Pulling, "Pulling images ...")
-		if err := bs.PullImages(mc.KubernetesConfig); err != nil {
-			out.T(out.FailureType, "Unable to pull images, which may be OK: {{.error}}", out.V{"error": err})
-		}
-	}
-
+func bootstrapCluster(bs bootstrapper.Bootstrapper, r cruntime.Manager, runner command.Runner, mc config.MachineConfig) {
 	out.T(out.Launch, "Launching Kubernetes ... ")
 	if err := bs.StartCluster(mc); err != nil {
 		exit.WithLogEntries("Error starting cluster", err, logs.FindProblems(r, bs, runner))
diff --git a/cmd/minikube/cmd/start_test.go b/cmd/minikube/cmd/start_test.go
index 32f130aba3..1003292da2 100644
--- a/cmd/minikube/cmd/start_test.go
+++ b/cmd/minikube/cmd/start_test.go
@@ -31,33 +31,28 @@ func TestGetKuberneterVersion(t *testing.T) {
 		description     string
 		expectedVersion string
 		paramVersion    string
-		upgrade         bool
 		cfg             *cfg.MachineConfig
 	}{
 		{
 			description:     "kubernetes-version not given, no config",
 			expectedVersion: constants.DefaultKubernetesVersion,
 			paramVersion:    "",
-			upgrade:         false,
 		},
 		{
 			description:     "kubernetes-version not given, config available",
 			expectedVersion: "v1.15.0",
 			paramVersion:    "",
-			upgrade:         false,
 			cfg:             &cfg.MachineConfig{KubernetesConfig: cfg.KubernetesConfig{KubernetesVersion: "v1.15.0"}},
 		},
 		{
 			description:     "kubernetes-version given, no config",
 			expectedVersion: "v1.15.0",
 			paramVersion:    "v1.15.0",
-			upgrade:         false,
 		},
 		{
 			description:     "kubernetes-version given, config available",
 			expectedVersion: "v1.16.0",
 			paramVersion:    "v1.16.0",
-			upgrade:         true,
 			cfg:             &cfg.MachineConfig{KubernetesConfig: cfg.KubernetesConfig{KubernetesVersion: "v1.15.0"}},
 		},
 	}
@@ -65,17 +60,12 @@ func TestGetKuberneterVersion(t *testing.T) {
 	for _, test := range tests {
 		t.Run(test.description, func(t *testing.T) {
 			viper.SetDefault(kubernetesVersion, test.paramVersion)
-			version, upgrade := getKubernetesVersion(test.cfg)
+			version := getKubernetesVersion(test.cfg)
 
 			// check whether we are getting the expected version
 			if version != test.expectedVersion {
 				t.Fatalf("test failed because the expected version %s is not returned", test.expectedVersion)
 			}
-
-			// check whether the upgrade flag is correct
-			if test.upgrade != upgrade {
-				t.Fatalf("test failed expected upgrade is %t", test.upgrade)
-			}
 		})
 	}
 }
diff --git a/pkg/minikube/bootstrapper/bootstrapper.go b/pkg/minikube/bootstrapper/bootstrapper.go
index f08876b631..669a38fd57 100644
--- a/pkg/minikube/bootstrapper/bootstrapper.go
+++ b/pkg/minikube/bootstrapper/bootstrapper.go
@@ -35,8 +35,6 @@ type LogOptions struct {
 
 // Bootstrapper contains all the methods needed to bootstrap a kubernetes cluster
 type Bootstrapper interface {
-	// PullImages pulls images necessary for a cluster. Success should not be required.
-	PullImages(config.KubernetesConfig) error
 	StartCluster(config.MachineConfig) error
 	UpdateCluster(config.MachineConfig) error
 	DeleteCluster(config.KubernetesConfig) error
diff --git a/pkg/minikube/bootstrapper/kubeadm/kubeadm.go b/pkg/minikube/bootstrapper/kubeadm/kubeadm.go
index 8688ed54de..452287951b 100644
--- a/pkg/minikube/bootstrapper/kubeadm/kubeadm.go
+++ b/pkg/minikube/bootstrapper/kubeadm/kubeadm.go
@@ -390,23 +390,6 @@ func (k *Bootstrapper) DeleteCluster(k8s config.KubernetesConfig) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-// PullImages downloads images that will be used by Kubernetes
-func (k *Bootstrapper) PullImages(k8s config.KubernetesConfig) error {
-	version, err := bsutil.ParseKubernetesVersion(k8s.KubernetesVersion)
-	if err != nil {
-		return errors.Wrap(err, "parsing kubernetes version")
-	}
-	if version.LT(semver.MustParse("1.11.0")) {
-		return fmt.Errorf("pull command is not supported by kubeadm v%s", version)
-	}
-
-	rr, err := k.c.RunCmd(exec.Command("/bin/bash", "-c", fmt.Sprintf("%s config images pull --config %s", bsutil.InvokeKubeadm(k8s.KubernetesVersion), bsutil.KubeadmYamlPath)))
-	if err != nil {
-		return errors.Wrapf(err, "running cmd: %q", rr.Command())
-	}
-	return nil
-}
-
 // SetupCerts sets up certificates within the cluster.
 func (k *Bootstrapper) SetupCerts(k8s config.KubernetesConfig, n config.Node) error {
 	return bootstrapper.SetupCerts(k.c, k8s, n)