diff --git a/pkg/minikube/machine/fix.go b/pkg/minikube/machine/fix.go
index ba99581f5e..c4f986a121 100644
--- a/pkg/minikube/machine/fix.go
+++ b/pkg/minikube/machine/fix.go
@@ -95,12 +95,6 @@ func fixHost(api libmachine.API, cc *config.ClusterConfig, n *config.Node) (*hos
 		return h, nil
 	}
 
-	if h.Driver.DriverName() == driver.Generic {
-		if _, err := h.RunSSHCommand(fmt.Sprintf("sudo usermod -aG docker %s", h.Driver.GetSSHUsername())); err != nil {
-			return h, errors.Wrap(err, "usermod")
-		}
-	}
-
 	return h, ensureSyncedGuestClock(h, driverName)
 }
 
diff --git a/pkg/minikube/machine/start.go b/pkg/minikube/machine/start.go
index 92e22efaf8..4a38966c76 100644
--- a/pkg/minikube/machine/start.go
+++ b/pkg/minikube/machine/start.go
@@ -168,6 +168,12 @@ func createHost(api libmachine.API, cfg *config.ClusterConfig, n *config.Node) (
 		return h, errors.Wrap(err, "post-start")
 	}
 
+	if h.Driver.DriverName() == driver.Generic {
+		if _, err := h.RunSSHCommand(fmt.Sprintf("sudo usermod -aG docker %s", h.Driver.GetSSHUsername())); err != nil {
+			return h, errors.Wrap(err, "usermod")
+		}
+	}
+
 	if err := saveHost(api, h, cfg, n); err != nil {
 		return h, err
 	}