diff --git a/pkg/minikube/cruntime/cruntime.go b/pkg/minikube/cruntime/cruntime.go
index 7bee38519f..3732247c3b 100644
--- a/pkg/minikube/cruntime/cruntime.go
+++ b/pkg/minikube/cruntime/cruntime.go
@@ -243,3 +243,19 @@ func disableOthers(me Manager, cr CommandRunner) error {
 	}
 	return nil
 }
+
+var requiredContainerdVersion = semver.MustParse("1.4.0")
+
+// CompatibleWithCurrent checks if current version of "runtime" is compatible with "v"
+func CompatibleWithCurrent(runtime, v string) (bool, error) {
+	vv, err := semver.Make(v)
+	if err != nil {
+		return false, err
+	}
+	switch runtime {
+	case "containerd":
+		return requiredContainerdVersion.LE(vv), nil
+	default:
+		return true, nil
+	}
+}
diff --git a/pkg/minikube/node/start.go b/pkg/minikube/node/start.go
index 7f0a97471c..ffef8ac087 100644
--- a/pkg/minikube/node/start.go
+++ b/pkg/minikube/node/start.go
@@ -97,6 +97,12 @@ func Start(starter Starter, apiServer bool) (*kubeconfig.Settings, error) {
 
 	// configure the runtime (docker, containerd, crio)
 	cr := configureRuntimes(starter.Runner, *starter.Cfg, sv)
+
+	// check if installed runtime is compatible with current minikube code
+	if err = validateRuntimeVersion(err, cr); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
 	showVersionInfo(starter.Node.KubernetesVersion, cr)
 
 	// Add "host.minikube.internal" DNS alias (intentionally non-fatal)
@@ -223,6 +229,21 @@ func Start(starter Starter, apiServer bool) (*kubeconfig.Settings, error) {
 	return kcs, config.Write(viper.GetString(config.ProfileName), starter.Cfg)
 }
 
+func validateRuntimeVersion(err error, cr cruntime.Manager) error {
+	v, err := cr.Version()
+	if err != nil {
+		return errors.Wrap(err, "Failed to check container runtime version")
+	}
+	ok, err := cruntime.CompatibleWithCurrent(cr.Name(), v)
+	if err != nil {
+		return errors.Wrap(err, "Failed to validate container runtime version")
+	}
+	if !ok {
+		return fmt.Errorf( "version %s of %s is not compatible with current", v, cr.Name())
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
 // joinCluster adds new or prepares and then adds existing node to the cluster.
 func joinCluster(starter Starter, cpBs bootstrapper.Bootstrapper, bs bootstrapper.Bootstrapper) error {
 	start := time.Now()
@@ -353,7 +374,6 @@ func configureRuntimes(runner cruntime.CommandRunner, cc config.ClusterConfig, k
 	if err != nil {
 		exit.Error(reason.RuntimeEnable, "Failed to start container runtime", err)
 	}
-
 	return cr
 }