diff --git a/cmd/minikube/cmd/start.go b/cmd/minikube/cmd/start.go
index 2439866300..d49cdcbb7e 100644
--- a/cmd/minikube/cmd/start.go
+++ b/cmd/minikube/cmd/start.go
@@ -605,14 +605,20 @@ func selectDriver(existing *config.ClusterConfig) (registry.DriverState, []regis
 				out.Infof("{{ .name }}: Suggestion: {{ .suggestion}}", out.V{"name": r.Name, "suggestion": r.Suggestion})
 			}
 		}
+		foundStoppedDocker := false
 		foundUnhealthy := false
 		for _, reject := range rejects {
-			if reject.State.Installed && !reject.State.Healthy {
+			if reject.Name == driver.Docker && reject.State.Installed && !reject.State.Running {
+				foundStoppedDocker = true
+				break
+			} else if reject.State.Installed && !reject.State.Healthy {
 				foundUnhealthy = true
 				break
 			}
 		}
-		if foundUnhealthy {
+		if foundStoppedDocker {
+			exit.Message(reason.DrvDockerNotRunning, "Found docker, but the docker service isn't running. Try restarting the docker service.")
+		} else if foundUnhealthy {
 			exit.Message(reason.DrvNotHealthy, "Found driver(s) but none were healthy. See above for suggestions how to fix installed drivers.")
 		} else {
 			exit.Message(reason.DrvNotDetected, "No possible driver was detected. Try specifying --driver, or see https://minikube.sigs.k8s.io/docs/start/")
diff --git a/pkg/minikube/reason/reason.go b/pkg/minikube/reason/reason.go
index 566cd5669c..8667bd5f5c 100644
--- a/pkg/minikube/reason/reason.go
+++ b/pkg/minikube/reason/reason.go
@@ -224,6 +224,7 @@ var (
 	DrvNotFound           = Kind{ID: "DRV_NOT_FOUND", ExitCode: ExDriverNotFound}
 	DrvNotDetected        = Kind{ID: "DRV_NOT_DETECTED", ExitCode: ExDriverNotFound}
 	DrvNotHealthy         = Kind{ID: "DRV_NOT_HEALTHY", ExitCode: ExDriverNotFound}
+	DrvDockerNotRunning   = Kind{ID: "DRV_DOCKER_NOT_RUNNING", ExitCode: ExDriverNotFound}
 	DrvAsRoot             = Kind{ID: "DRV_AS_ROOT", ExitCode: ExDriverPermission}
 	DrvNeedsRoot          = Kind{ID: "DRV_NEEDS_ROOT", ExitCode: ExDriverPermission}
 	DrvNeedsAdministrator = Kind{ID: "DRV_NEEDS_ADMINISTRATOR", ExitCode: ExDriverPermission}