diff --git a/pkg/minikube/out/register/json_test.go b/pkg/minikube/out/register/json_test.go
index 40d7767701..f6035273fd 100644
--- a/pkg/minikube/out/register/json_test.go
+++ b/pkg/minikube/out/register/json_test.go
@@ -24,6 +24,8 @@ import (
 )
 
 func TestPrintStep(t *testing.T) {
+	Reg.SetStep(InitialSetup)
+
 	expected := `{"data":{"currentstep":"0","message":"message","name":"Initial Minikube Setup","totalsteps":"%v"},"datacontenttype":"application/json","id":"random-id","source":"https://minikube.sigs.k8s.io/","specversion":"1.0","type":"io.k8s.sigs.minikube.step"}`
 	expected = fmt.Sprintf(expected, Reg.totalSteps())
 	expected += "\n"
@@ -36,7 +38,6 @@ func TestPrintStep(t *testing.T) {
 		return "random-id"
 	}
 
-	Reg.SetStep(InitialSetup)
 	PrintStep("message")
 	actual := buf.String()
 
diff --git a/pkg/minikube/out/register/register.go b/pkg/minikube/out/register/register.go
index 301fa0944c..b13879433f 100644
--- a/pkg/minikube/out/register/register.go
+++ b/pkg/minikube/out/register/register.go
@@ -110,7 +110,8 @@ func (r *Register) currentStep() string {
 
 	// all steps should be registered so this shouldn't happen
 	// can't call exit.WithError as it creates an import dependency loop
-	panic(fmt.Sprintf("%q is in the expected steps for %q: %v", r.current, r.first, steps))
+	glog.Errorf("%q was not found within the registered steps for %q: %v", r.current, r.first, steps)
+	return ""
 }
 
 // SetStep sets the current step