diff --git a/cmd/minikube/cmd/config/addons_list.go b/cmd/minikube/cmd/config/addons_list.go
index 8a66f4c753..c73c914c96 100644
--- a/cmd/minikube/cmd/config/addons_list.go
+++ b/cmd/minikube/cmd/config/addons_list.go
@@ -136,7 +136,7 @@ var printAddonsJSON = func() {
 
 		addonStatus, err := addonBundle.IsEnabled()
 		if err != nil {
-			glog.Errorf("Unable to get addon status for {{.name}}: {{.error}}", err)
+			glog.Errorf("Unable to get addon status for %s: %v", addonName, err)
 			continue
 		}
 
diff --git a/cmd/minikube/cmd/start.go b/cmd/minikube/cmd/start.go
index 3469742d45..5643b7be20 100644
--- a/cmd/minikube/cmd/start.go
+++ b/cmd/minikube/cmd/start.go
@@ -46,8 +46,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/spf13/viper"
 	"golang.org/x/sync/errgroup"
 	cmdcfg "k8s.io/minikube/cmd/minikube/cmd/config"
-	pkgaddons "k8s.io/minikube/pkg/addons"
-	"k8s.io/minikube/pkg/minikube/assets"
 	"k8s.io/minikube/pkg/minikube/bootstrapper"
 	"k8s.io/minikube/pkg/minikube/bootstrapper/bsutil"
 	"k8s.io/minikube/pkg/minikube/bootstrapper/images"
@@ -58,6 +56,7 @@ import (
 	"k8s.io/minikube/pkg/minikube/cruntime"
 	"k8s.io/minikube/pkg/minikube/driver"
 	"k8s.io/minikube/pkg/minikube/exit"
+	"k8s.io/minikube/pkg/addons"
 	"k8s.io/minikube/pkg/minikube/kubeconfig"
 	"k8s.io/minikube/pkg/minikube/localpath"
 	"k8s.io/minikube/pkg/minikube/logs"
@@ -105,7 +104,6 @@ const (
 	imageMirrorCountry    = "image-mirror-country"
 	mountString           = "mount-string"
 	disableDriverMounts   = "disable-driver-mounts"
-	addons                = "addons"
 	cacheImages           = "cache-images"
 	uuid                  = "uuid"
 	vpnkitSock            = "hyperkit-vpnkit-sock"
@@ -173,7 +171,7 @@ func initMinikubeFlags() {
 	startCmd.Flags().String(containerRuntime, "docker", "The container runtime to be used (docker, crio, containerd).")
 	startCmd.Flags().Bool(createMount, false, "This will start the mount daemon and automatically mount files into minikube.")
 	startCmd.Flags().String(mountString, constants.DefaultMountDir+":/minikube-host", "The argument to pass the minikube mount command on start.")
-	startCmd.Flags().StringArrayVar(&addonList, addons, nil, "Enable addons. see `minikube addons list` for a list of valid addon names.")
+	startCmd.Flags().StringArrayVar(&addonList,"addons", nil, "Enable addons. see `minikube addons list` for a list of valid addon names.")
 	startCmd.Flags().String(criSocket, "", "The cri socket path to be used.")
 	startCmd.Flags().String(networkPlugin, "", "The name of the network plugin.")
 	startCmd.Flags().Bool(enableDefaultCNI, false, "Enable the default CNI plugin (/etc/cni/net.d/k8s.conf). Used in conjunction with \"--network-plugin=cni\".")
@@ -369,8 +367,8 @@ func runStart(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
 	bootstrapCluster(bs, cr, mRunner, mc, preExists, isUpgrade)
 	configureMounts()
 
-	// enable addons with start command
-	enableAddons()
+	// enable addons
+	addons.Start(viper.GetString(config.MachineProfile), addonList)
 
 	if err = cacheAndLoadImagesInConfig(); err != nil {
 		out.T(out.FailureType, "Unable to load cached images from config file.")
@@ -409,41 +407,6 @@ func cacheISO(cfg *config.MachineConfig, driverName string) {
 	}
 }
 
-func enableAddons() {
-	start := time.Now()
-	glog.Infof("enableAddons")
-	defer func() {
-		glog.Infof("enableAddons completed in %s", time.Since(start))
-	}()
-	toEnable := []string{}
-
-	// Apply addons that are enabled by default
-	for name, a := range assets.Addons {
-		enabled, err := a.IsEnabled()
-		if err != nil {
-			glog.Errorf("is-enabled failed for %q: %v", a.Name(), err)
-			continue
-		}
-		if enabled {
-			toEnable = append(toEnable, name)
-		}
-	}
-
-	toEnable = append(toEnable, addonList...)
-	if len(toEnable) == 0 {
-		return
-	}
-
-	out.T(out.AddonEnable, "Enabling addons: {{.addons}}", out.V{"addons": strings.Join(toEnable, ", ")})
-	for _, a := range toEnable {
-		err := pkgaddons.Set(a, "true", viper.GetString(config.MachineProfile))
-		if err != nil {
-			// Intentionally non-fatal
-			out.WarningT("Enabling '{{.name}}' returned an error: {{.error}}", out.V{"name": a, "error": err})
-		}
-	}
-}
-
 func displayVersion(version string) {
 	prefix := ""
 	if viper.GetString(config.MachineProfile) != constants.DefaultMachineName {
diff --git a/pkg/addons/addons.go b/pkg/addons/addons.go
index dae1ef0c6c..2070da2ca2 100644
--- a/pkg/addons/addons.go
+++ b/pkg/addons/addons.go
@@ -21,6 +21,8 @@ import (
 	"os"
 	"path"
 	"strconv"
+	"strings"
+	"time"
 
 	"github.com/golang/glog"
 	"github.com/pkg/errors"
@@ -167,7 +169,7 @@ func isAddonAlreadySet(addon *assets.Addon, enable bool) (bool, error) {
 	addonStatus, err := addon.IsEnabled()
 
 	if err != nil {
-		return false, errors.Wrap(err, "get the addon status")
+		return false, errors.Wrap(err, "addon is enabled")
 	}
 
 	if addonStatus && enable {
@@ -255,3 +257,39 @@ func enableOrDisableStorageClasses(name, val, profile string) error {
 
 	return enableOrDisableAddon(name, val, profile)
 }
+
+// Start enables the default addons for a profile, plus any additional
+func Start(profile string, additional []string) {
+	start := time.Now()
+	glog.Infof("enableAddons")
+	defer func() {
+		glog.Infof("enableAddons completed in %s", time.Since(start))
+	}()
+	toEnable := []string{}
+
+	// Apply addons that are enabled by default
+	for name, a := range assets.Addons {
+		enabled, err := a.IsEnabled()
+		if err != nil {
+			glog.Errorf("is-enabled failed for %q: %v", a.Name(), err)
+			continue
+		}
+		if enabled {
+			toEnable = append(toEnable, name)
+		}
+	}
+
+	toEnable = append(toEnable, additional...)
+	if len(toEnable) == 0 {
+		return
+	}
+
+	out.T(out.AddonEnable, "Enabling addons: {{.addons}}", out.V{"addons": strings.Join(toEnable, ", ")})
+	for _, a := range toEnable {
+		err := Set(a, "true", profile)
+		if err != nil {
+			// Intentionally non-fatal
+			out.WarningT("Enabling '{{.name}}' returned an error: {{.error}}", out.V{"name": a, "error": err})
+		}
+	}
+}
diff --git a/pkg/minikube/assets/addons.go b/pkg/minikube/assets/addons.go
index 6b18b810f6..14959a28ca 100644
--- a/pkg/minikube/assets/addons.go
+++ b/pkg/minikube/assets/addons.go
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ func (a *Addon) Name() string {
 func (a *Addon) IsEnabled() (bool, error) {
 	c, err := config.Load(viper.GetString(config.MachineProfile))
 	if err != nil {
-		return false, err
+		return false, errors.Wrap(err, "load")
 	}
 
 	// Is this addon explicitly listed in their configuration?