diff --git a/hack/preload-images/generate.go b/hack/preload-images/generate.go
index a3160bc5a1..f178a6592b 100644
--- a/hack/preload-images/generate.go
+++ b/hack/preload-images/generate.go
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ import (
 	"k8s.io/minikube/pkg/minikube/localpath"
 )
 
-func generateTarball(kubernetesVersion, tarballFilename string) error {
+func generateTarball(kubernetesVersion, containerRuntime, tarballFilename string) error {
 	defer func() {
 		if err := deleteMinikube(); err != nil {
 			fmt.Println(err)
@@ -68,7 +68,11 @@ func generateTarball(kubernetesVersion, tarballFilename string) error {
 		return errors.Wrap(err, "kubeadm images")
 	}
 
-	for _, img := range append(imgs, kic.OverlayImage) {
+	if containerRuntime != "docker" { // kic overlay image is only needed by containerd and cri-o https://github.com/kubernetes/minikube/issues/7428
+		imgs = append(imgs, kic.OverlayImage)
+	}
+
+	for _, img := range imgs {
 		cmd := exec.Command("docker", "exec", profile, "docker", "pull", img)
 		cmd.Stdout = os.Stdout
 		cmd.Stderr = os.Stderr
@@ -93,6 +97,7 @@ func generateTarball(kubernetesVersion, tarballFilename string) error {
 }
 
 func createImageTarball(tarballFilename string) error {
+	// directories to save into tarball
 	dirs := []string{
 		fmt.Sprintf("./lib/docker/%s", dockerStorageDriver),
 		"./lib/docker/image",
diff --git a/hack/preload-images/preload_images.go b/hack/preload-images/preload_images.go
index fcf06180d7..37bbd678e7 100644
--- a/hack/preload-images/preload_images.go
+++ b/hack/preload-images/preload_images.go
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ func main() {
 				continue
 			}
 			fmt.Printf("A preloaded tarball for k8s version %s doesn't exist, generating now...\n", kv)
-			if err := generateTarball(kv, tf); err != nil {
+			if err := generateTarball(kv, cr, tf); err != nil {
 				exit.WithError(fmt.Sprintf("generating tarball for k8s version %s with %s", kv, cr), err)
 			}
 			if err := uploadTarball(tf); err != nil {
diff --git a/pkg/minikube/bootstrapper/kubeadm/kubeadm.go b/pkg/minikube/bootstrapper/kubeadm/kubeadm.go
index 9a65e7df8c..3df6e80368 100644
--- a/pkg/minikube/bootstrapper/kubeadm/kubeadm.go
+++ b/pkg/minikube/bootstrapper/kubeadm/kubeadm.go
@@ -231,7 +231,8 @@ func (k *Bootstrapper) init(cfg config.ClusterConfig) error {
 		return errors.Wrap(err, "run")
 	}
 
-	if cfg.Driver == driver.Docker {
+	// this is required for containerd and cri-o runtime. till we close https://github.com/kubernetes/minikube/issues/7428
+	if driver.IsKIC(cfg.Driver) && cfg.KubernetesConfig.ContainerRuntime != "docker" {
 		if err := k.applyKicOverlay(cfg); err != nil {
 			return errors.Wrap(err, "apply kic overlay")
 		}