diff --git a/cmd/minikube/cmd/start.go b/cmd/minikube/cmd/start.go
index f9d8130615..ea5551e35d 100644
--- a/cmd/minikube/cmd/start.go
+++ b/cmd/minikube/cmd/start.go
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ import (
 	"os"
 	"strconv"
 	"strings"
+	"time"
 
 	units "github.com/docker/go-units"
 	"github.com/docker/machine/libmachine"
@@ -89,11 +90,11 @@ func runStart(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
 	start := func() (err error) {
 		host, err = cluster.StartHost(api, config)
 		if err != nil {
-			glog.Errorf("Error starting host: %s. Retrying.\n", err)
+			glog.Errorf("Error starting host: %s.\n\n Retrying.\n", err)
 		}
 		return err
 	}
-	err := util.Retry(3, start)
+	err := util.RetryAfter(5, start, 2*time.Second)
 	if err != nil {
 		glog.Errorln("Error starting host: ", err)
 		cmdUtil.MaybeReportErrorAndExit(err)
diff --git a/pkg/minikube/cluster/cluster.go b/pkg/minikube/cluster/cluster.go
index c772479a31..de28b8a3ce 100644
--- a/pkg/minikube/cluster/cluster.go
+++ b/pkg/minikube/cluster/cluster.go
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ func StartHost(api libmachine.API, config MachineConfig) (*host.Host, error) {
 	}
 
 	if err := h.ConfigureAuth(); err != nil {
-		return nil, errors.Wrap(&util.RetriableError{Err: err}, "Error configuring auth on host")
+		return nil, &util.RetriableError{Err: errors.Wrap(err, "Error configuring auth on host")}
 	}
 	return h, nil
 }
diff --git a/pkg/provision/buildroot.go b/pkg/provision/buildroot.go
index 296291c846..d3cacb45cd 100644
--- a/pkg/provision/buildroot.go
+++ b/pkg/provision/buildroot.go
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"path"
 	"text/template"
+	"time"
 
 	"github.com/docker/machine/libmachine/auth"
 	"github.com/docker/machine/libmachine/drivers"
@@ -29,6 +30,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/docker/machine/libmachine/provision"
 	"github.com/docker/machine/libmachine/provision/pkgaction"
 	"github.com/docker/machine/libmachine/swarm"
+	"k8s.io/minikube/pkg/util"
 )
 
 type BuildrootProvisioner struct {
@@ -130,7 +132,17 @@ func (p *BuildrootProvisioner) Provision(swarmOptions swarm.Options, authOptions
 	log.Debugf("set auth options %+v", p.AuthOptions)
 
 	log.Debugf("setting up certificates")
-	if err := provision.ConfigureAuth(p); err != nil {
+
+	configureAuth := func() error {
+		if err := provision.ConfigureAuth(p); err != nil {
+			return &util.RetriableError{Err: err}
+		}
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	err := util.RetryAfter(5, configureAuth, time.Second*10)
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Debugf("Error configuring auth during provisioning %v", err)
 		return err
 	}