diff --git a/cmd/minikube/cmd/start.go b/cmd/minikube/cmd/start.go
index 856d0d68f4..d9d74d5127 100644
--- a/cmd/minikube/cmd/start.go
+++ b/cmd/minikube/cmd/start.go
@@ -855,7 +855,12 @@ func validateCPUCount(drvName string) {
 	if driver.IsKIC((drvName)) {
 		si, err := oci.CachedDaemonInfo(drvName)
 		if err != nil {
-			out.WarningT("Failed to verify '{{.driver_name}} info', ensure your {{.driver_name}} is running healthy.", out.V{"driver_name": drvName})
+			out.T(out.Confused, "Failed to verify '{{.driver_name}} info' will try again ...", out.V{"driver_name": drvName})
+			si, err = oci.DaemonInfo(drvName)
+			if err != nil {
+				exit.UsageT("Ensure your {{.driver_name}} is running and is healthy.", out.V{"driver_name": driver.NameForHumans(drvName)})
+			}
+
 		}
 		if si.CPUs < 2 {
 			if drvName == oci.Docker {
diff --git a/pkg/drivers/kic/oci/info.go b/pkg/drivers/kic/oci/info.go
index 98255a612f..a474b53fad 100644
--- a/pkg/drivers/kic/oci/info.go
+++ b/pkg/drivers/kic/oci/info.go
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ type SysInfo struct {
 }
 
 var cachedSysInfo *SysInfo
+var cachedSysInfoErr *error
 
 // CachedDaemonInfo will run and return a docker/podman info only once per minikube run time. to avoid performance
 func CachedDaemonInfo(ociBin string) (SysInfo, error) {
@@ -40,9 +41,10 @@ func CachedDaemonInfo(ociBin string) (SysInfo, error) {
 	if cachedSysInfo == nil {
 		si, err := DaemonInfo(ociBin)
 		cachedSysInfo = &si
+		cachedSysInfoErr = &err
 		return *cachedSysInfo, err
 	}
-	return *cachedSysInfo, err
+	return *cachedSysInfo, *cachedSysInfoErr
 }
 
 // DaemonInfo returns common docker/podman daemon system info that minikube cares about