diff --git a/test/integration/a_download_only_test.go b/test/integration/a_download_only_test.go
index ee45bb12ed..dcd6e1cd45 100644
--- a/test/integration/a_download_only_test.go
+++ b/test/integration/a_download_only_test.go
@@ -34,13 +34,13 @@ import (
 	"k8s.io/minikube/test/integration/util"
 )
 
-// Note this test runs before all because filename is alpahbetically first
+// Note this test runs before all because filename is alphabetically first
 // is used to cache images and binaries used by other parallel tests to avoid redownloading.
 // TestDownloadOnly tests the --download-only option
 func TestDownloadOnly(t *testing.T) {
 	p := profileName(t)
 	mk := NewMinikubeRunner(t, p)
-	if !isTestNoneDriver() { // none driver doesnt need to be deleted
+	if !isTestNoneDriver(t) { // none driver doesnt need to be deleted
 		defer mk.TearDown(t)
 	}
 
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ func TestDownloadOnly(t *testing.T) {
 
 	t.Run("DownloadLatestRelease", func(t *testing.T) {
 		dest := filepath.Join(*testdataDir, fmt.Sprintf("minikube-%s-%s-latest-stable", runtime.GOOS, runtime.GOARCH))
-		err := downloadMinikubeBinary(dest, "latest")
+		err := downloadMinikubeBinary(t, dest, "latest")
 		if err != nil {
 			t.Errorf("erorr downloading the latest minikube release %v", err)
 		}
@@ -70,7 +70,8 @@ func TestDownloadOnly(t *testing.T) {
 
 // downloadMinikubeBinary downloads the minikube binary from github used by TestVersionUpgrade
 // acts as a test setup for TestVersionUpgrade
-func downloadMinikubeBinary(dest string, version string) error {
+func downloadMinikubeBinary(t *testing.T, dest string, version string) error {
+	t.Helper()
 	// Grab latest release binary
 	url := pkgutil.GetBinaryDownloadURL(version, runtime.GOOS)
 	download := func() error {
diff --git a/test/integration/containerd_test.go b/test/integration/containerd_test.go
index e2541bd59d..5d018bd8ac 100644
--- a/test/integration/containerd_test.go
+++ b/test/integration/containerd_test.go
@@ -30,10 +30,10 @@ import (
 )
 
 func TestContainerd(t *testing.T) {
-	if isTestNoneDriver() {
+	if isTestNoneDriver(t) {
 		t.Skip("Can't run containerd backend with none driver")
 	}
-	if toParallel() {
+	if shouldRunInParallel(t) {
 		t.Parallel()
 	}
 
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ func TestContainerd(t *testing.T) {
 
 func testGvisorRestart(t *testing.T) {
 	p := profileName(t)
-	if toParallel() {
+	if shouldRunInParallel(t) {
 		t.Parallel()
 	}
 	mk := NewMinikubeRunner(t, p, "--wait=false")
@@ -57,13 +57,13 @@ func testGvisorRestart(t *testing.T) {
 
 	t.Log("waiting for gvisor controller to come up")
 	if err := waitForGvisorControllerRunning(p); err != nil {
-		t.Fatalf("waiting for gvisor controller to be up: %v", err)
+		t.Errorf("waiting for gvisor controller to be up: %v", err)
 	}
 
 	createUntrustedWorkload(t, p)
 	t.Log("making sure untrusted workload is Running")
 	if err := waitForUntrustedNginxRunning(p); err != nil {
-		t.Fatalf("waiting for nginx to be up: %v", err)
+		t.Errorf("waiting for nginx to be up: %v", err)
 	}
 	deleteUntrustedWorkload(t, p)
 
@@ -76,13 +76,13 @@ func testGvisorRestart(t *testing.T) {
 
 	t.Log("waiting for gvisor controller to come up")
 	if err := waitForGvisorControllerRunning(p); err != nil {
-		t.Fatalf("waiting for gvisor controller to be up: %v", err)
+		t.Errorf("waiting for gvisor controller to be up: %v", err)
 	}
 
 	createUntrustedWorkload(t, p)
 	t.Log("making sure untrusted workload is Running")
 	if err := waitForUntrustedNginxRunning(p); err != nil {
-		t.Fatalf("waiting for nginx to be up: %v", err)
+		t.Errorf("waiting for nginx to be up: %v", err)
 	}
 	deleteUntrustedWorkload(t, p)
 }
diff --git a/test/integration/docker_test.go b/test/integration/docker_test.go
index 718a228c8a..c7d02c36a3 100644
--- a/test/integration/docker_test.go
+++ b/test/integration/docker_test.go
@@ -28,11 +28,11 @@ import (
 )
 
 func TestDocker(t *testing.T) {
-	if isTestNoneDriver() {
+	if isTestNoneDriver(t) {
 		t.Skip("skipping test as none driver does not bundle docker")
 	}
 	p := profileName(t)
-	if toParallel() {
+	if shouldRunInParallel(t) {
 		t.Parallel()
 	}
 	mk := NewMinikubeRunner(t, p, "--wait=false")
diff --git a/test/integration/flags.go b/test/integration/flags.go
index f37a1a534d..f8ad39211e 100644
--- a/test/integration/flags.go
+++ b/test/integration/flags.go
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ var globalArgs = flag.String("minikube-args", "", "Arguments to pass to minikube
 var startArgs = flag.String("minikube-start-args", "", "Arguments to pass to minikube start")
 var mountArgs = flag.String("minikube-mount-args", "", "Arguments to pass to minikube mount")
 var testdataDir = flag.String("testdata-dir", "testdata", "the directory relative to test/integration where the testdata lives")
-var disableParallel = flag.Bool("disable-parallel", false, "run the tests squentially and disable all parallel runs")
+var parallel = flag.Bool("parallel", true, "run the tests in parallel, set false for run sequentially")
 
 // NewMinikubeRunner creates a new MinikubeRunner
 func NewMinikubeRunner(t *testing.T, profile string, extraStartArgs ...string) util.MinikubeRunner {
@@ -54,33 +54,34 @@ func NewMinikubeRunner(t *testing.T, profile string, extraStartArgs ...string) u
 }
 
 // isTestNoneDriver checks if the current test is for none driver
-func isTestNoneDriver() bool {
+func isTestNoneDriver(t *testing.T) bool {
+	t.Helper()
 	return strings.Contains(*startArgs, "--vm-driver=none")
 }
 
 // profileName chooses a profile name based on the test name
 // to be used in minikube and kubecontext across that test
 func profileName(t *testing.T) string {
-	if isTestNoneDriver() {
+	t.Helper()
+	if isTestNoneDriver(t) {
 		return "minikube"
 	}
-	p := t.Name()
-	if strings.Contains(p, "/") { // for i.e, TestFunctional/SSH returns TestFunctional
-		p = strings.Split(p, "/")[0]
-	}
+	p := strings.Split(t.Name(), "/")[0] // for i.e, TestFunctional/SSH returns TestFunctional
 	if p == "TestFunctional" {
 		return "minikube"
 	}
 	return p
 }
 
-// toParallel deterimines if test should run in  parallel or not
-func toParallel() bool {
-	if *disableParallel {
+// shouldRunInParallel deterimines if test should run in parallel or not
+func shouldRunInParallel(t *testing.T) bool {
+	t.Helper()
+	if !*parallel {
 		return false
 	}
-	if isTestNoneDriver() {
+	if isTestNoneDriver(t) {
 		return false
 	}
-	return true
+	p := strings.Split(t.Name(), "/")[0] // for i.e, TestFunctional/SSH returns TestFunctional
+	return p != "TestFunctional"         // gosimple lint: https://staticcheck.io/docs/checks#S1008
 }
diff --git a/test/integration/fn_mount.go b/test/integration/fn_mount.go
index d8d4fe38f8..8459d8d6f8 100644
--- a/test/integration/fn_mount.go
+++ b/test/integration/fn_mount.go
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ func testMounting(t *testing.T) {
 	if runtime.GOOS == "darwin" {
 		t.Skip("mount tests disabled in darwin due to timeout (issue#3200)")
 	}
-	if isTestNoneDriver() {
+	if isTestNoneDriver(t) {
 		t.Skip("skipping test for none driver as it does not need mount")
 	}
 
diff --git a/test/integration/functional_test.go b/test/integration/functional_test.go
index 35a49bb4a0..f8b57d2097 100644
--- a/test/integration/functional_test.go
+++ b/test/integration/functional_test.go
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ func TestFunctional(t *testing.T) {
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("failed to start minikube failed : %v\nstdout: %s\nstderr: %s", err, stdout, stderr)
 	}
-	if !isTestNoneDriver() { // none driver doesn't need to be deleted
+	if !isTestNoneDriver(t) { // none driver doesn't need to be deleted
 		defer mk.TearDown(t)
 	}
 
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ func TestFunctional(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Run("Provisioning", testProvisioning)
 		t.Run("Tunnel", testTunnel)
 
-		if !isTestNoneDriver() {
+		if !isTestNoneDriver(t) {
 			t.Run("EnvVars", testClusterEnv)
 			t.Run("SSH", testClusterSSH)
 			t.Run("IngressController", testIngressController)
diff --git a/test/integration/iso_test.go b/test/integration/iso_test.go
index 7181d43799..94092e1b5a 100644
--- a/test/integration/iso_test.go
+++ b/test/integration/iso_test.go
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ import (
 
 func TestISO(t *testing.T) {
 	p := profileName(t)
-	if toParallel() {
+	if shouldRunInParallel(t) {
 		t.Parallel()
 	}
 
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ func TestISO(t *testing.T) {
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("failed to start minikube (for profile %s) %s) failed : %v\nstdout: %s\nstderr: %s", t.Name(), err, stdout, stderr)
 	}
-	if !isTestNoneDriver() { // none driver doesn't need to be deleted
+	if !isTestNoneDriver(t) { // none driver doesn't need to be deleted
 		defer mk.TearDown(t)
 	}
 
diff --git a/test/integration/persistence_test.go b/test/integration/persistence_test.go
index 96f04831c8..c88e1b6cbf 100644
--- a/test/integration/persistence_test.go
+++ b/test/integration/persistence_test.go
@@ -27,11 +27,11 @@ import (
 )
 
 func TestPersistence(t *testing.T) {
-	if isTestNoneDriver() {
+	if isTestNoneDriver(t) {
 		t.Skip("skipping test as none driver does not support persistence")
 	}
 	p := profileName(t)
-	if toParallel() {
+	if shouldRunInParallel(t) {
 		t.Parallel()
 	}
 
diff --git a/test/integration/start_stop_delete_test.go b/test/integration/start_stop_delete_test.go
index bfa7721eec..2d13a17069 100644
--- a/test/integration/start_stop_delete_test.go
+++ b/test/integration/start_stop_delete_test.go
@@ -32,12 +32,12 @@ import (
 
 func TestStartStop(t *testing.T) {
 	p := profileName(t) // gets profile name used for minikube and kube context
-	if toParallel() {
+	if shouldRunInParallel(t) {
 		t.Parallel()
 	}
 
 	t.Run("group", func(t *testing.T) {
-		if toParallel() {
+		if shouldRunInParallel(t) {
 			t.Parallel()
 		}
 		tests := []struct {
@@ -75,14 +75,14 @@ func TestStartStop(t *testing.T) {
 		for _, tc := range tests {
 			n := tc.name // because similar to https://golang.org/doc/faq#closures_and_goroutines
 			t.Run(tc.name, func(t *testing.T) {
-				if toParallel() {
+				if shouldRunInParallel(t) {
 					t.Parallel()
 				}
 
 				pn := p + n // TestStartStopoldest
 				mk := NewMinikubeRunner(t, pn, "--wait=false")
 				// TODO : redundant first clause ? never happens?
-				if !strings.Contains(pn, "docker") && isTestNoneDriver() {
+				if !strings.Contains(pn, "docker") && isTestNoneDriver(t) {
 					t.Skipf("skipping %s - incompatible with none driver", t.Name())
 				}
 
diff --git a/test/integration/version_upgrade_test.go b/test/integration/version_upgrade_test.go
index 777c87e84c..9170ec28aa 100644
--- a/test/integration/version_upgrade_test.go
+++ b/test/integration/version_upgrade_test.go
@@ -54,14 +54,19 @@ func fileExists(fname string) error {
 // and it tries to upgrade from the older supported k8s to news supported k8s
 func TestVersionUpgrade(t *testing.T) {
 	p := profileName(t)
-	if toParallel() {
+	if shouldRunInParallel(t) {
 		t.Parallel()
 	}
 	// fname is the filename for the minikube's latetest binary. this file been pre-downloaded before test by hacks/jenkins/common.sh
 	fname := filepath.Join(*testdataDir, fmt.Sprintf("minikube-%s-%s-latest-stable", runtime.GOOS, runtime.GOARCH))
 	err := fileExists(fname)
-	if err != nil {
-		t.Fail()
+	if err != nil { // download file if it is not downloaded by other test
+		dest := filepath.Join(*testdataDir, fmt.Sprintf("minikube-%s-%s-latest-stable", runtime.GOOS, runtime.GOARCH))
+		err := downloadMinikubeBinary(t, dest, "latest")
+		if err != nil {
+			// binary is needed for the test
+			t.Fatalf("erorr downloading the latest minikube release %v", err)
+		}
 	}
 	defer os.Remove(fname)
 
diff --git a/test/integration/z_proxy_test.go b/test/integration/z_proxy_test.go
index 3d1382959f..69a14be0c7 100644
--- a/test/integration/z_proxy_test.go
+++ b/test/integration/z_proxy_test.go
@@ -17,6 +17,8 @@ limitations under the License.
 */
 
 // the name of this file starts with z intentionally to make it run last after all other tests
+// the intent is to make sure os env proxy settings be done after all other tests.
+// for example in the case the test proxy clean up gets killed or fails
 package integration
 
 import (
@@ -69,7 +71,7 @@ func TestProxy(t *testing.T) {
 	origNP := os.Getenv("NO_PROXY")
 	p := profileName(t) // profile name
 
-	if isTestNoneDriver() {
+	if isTestNoneDriver(t) {
 		// TODO fix this later
 		t.Skip("Skipping proxy warning for none")
 	}
@@ -96,7 +98,7 @@ func TestProxy(t *testing.T) {
 		if err != nil {
 			t.Errorf("Error shutting down the http proxy")
 		}
-		if !isTestNoneDriver() {
+		if !isTestNoneDriver(t) {
 			mk.TearDown(t)
 		}