diff --git a/cmd/minikube/cmd/start.go b/cmd/minikube/cmd/start.go
index fbeb406e89..b3ce439a42 100644
--- a/cmd/minikube/cmd/start.go
+++ b/cmd/minikube/cmd/start.go
@@ -510,11 +510,11 @@ func selectDriver(oldConfig *cfg.Config) string {
 		return driver
 	}
 
-	if h.Driver.DriverName() == driver {
+	if h.Driver.DriverName() == driver || h.Driver.DriverName() == "not-found" {
 		return driver
 	}
 
-	out.ErrT(out.Conflict, `You have an existing "{{.profile_name}}" VM that was created using the "{{.old_driver}}" driver, and is incompatible with the "{{.driver}}" driver.`,
+	out.ErrT(out.Conflict, `The existing "{{.profile_name}}" VM that was created using the "{{.old_driver}}" driver, and is incompatible with the "{{.driver}}" driver.`,
 		out.V{"profile_name": cfg.GetMachineName(), "driver": driver, "old_driver": h.Driver.DriverName()})
 
 	out.ErrT(out.Workaround, `To proceed, either:
diff --git a/pkg/minikube/cluster/cluster.go b/pkg/minikube/cluster/cluster.go
index cc2a60a101..e3c65aa938 100644
--- a/pkg/minikube/cluster/cluster.go
+++ b/pkg/minikube/cluster/cluster.go
@@ -102,14 +102,7 @@ func StartHost(api libmachine.API, config cfg.MachineConfig) (*host.Host, error)
 		return nil, errors.Wrap(err, "Error loading existing host. Please try running [minikube delete], then run [minikube start] again.")
 	}
 
-	if h.Driver.DriverName() != config.VMDriver {
-		out.T(out.Empty, "\n")
-		exit.WithCodeT(exit.Config, `The existing "{{.profile_name}}" VM was created using the {{.driver_name}} driver.`,
-			out.V{"profile_name": cfg.GetMachineName(), "driver_name": config.VMDriver})
-		out.WarningT("To switch drivers, you may create a new VM using `minikube start -p <name> --vm-driver={{.driver_name}}`", out.V{"driver_name": config.VMDriver})
-		out.WarningT("Alternatively, you may delete the existing VM using `minikube delete -p {{.profile_name}}`", out.V{"profile_name": cfg.GetMachineName()})
-		out.T(out.Empty, "\n")
-	} else if exists && cfg.GetMachineName() == constants.DefaultMachineName {
+	if exists && cfg.GetMachineName() == constants.DefaultMachineName {
 		out.T(out.Tip, "Tip: Use 'minikube start -p <name>' to create a new cluster, or 'minikube delete' to delete this one.")
 	}