diff --git a/cmd/minikube/cmd/cp.go b/cmd/minikube/cmd/cp.go
index 4452e644ac23..5e19b0c91402 100644
--- a/cmd/minikube/cmd/cp.go
+++ b/cmd/minikube/cmd/cp.go
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
-Copyright 2016 The Kubernetes Authors All rights reserved.
+Copyright 2021 The Kubernetes Authors All rights reserved.
 
 Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
 you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
@@ -17,10 +17,11 @@ limitations under the License.
 package cmd
 
 import (
-	"os"
-
 	"github.com/pkg/errors"
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
+	"os"
+	pt "path"
+	"path/filepath"
 
 	"k8s.io/minikube/pkg/minikube/assets"
 	"k8s.io/minikube/pkg/minikube/exit"
@@ -37,25 +38,27 @@ var (
 
 // cpCmd represents the cp command, similar to docker cp
 var cpCmd = &cobra.Command{
-	Use:   "cp <source file path> <target file path followed by '/home/docker/'>",
+	Use:   "cp <source file path> <target file absolute path>",
 	Short: "Copy the specified file into minikube",
-	Long: "Copy the specified file into minikube, it will be saved at path \"/home/docker/<target file path>\" in your minikube.\n" +
-		"Example Command : \"minikube cp a.txt b.txt\"\n",
+	Long: "Copy the specified file into minikube, it will be saved at path <target file absolute path> in your minikube.\n" +
+		"Example Command : \"minikube cp a.txt /home/docker/b.txt\"\n",
 	Run: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
-		// validate args
 		if len(args) != 2 {
 			exit.Message(reason.Usage, `Please specify the path to copy: 
-	minikube cp <source file path> <target file path>   (example: "minikube cp a/b/c/d.txt a.txt")`)
+	minikube cp <source file path> <target file absolute path> (example: "minikube cp a/b.txt /copied.txt")`)
 		}
+
 		srcPath = args[0]
 		dstPath = args[1]
+		validateArgs(srcPath, dstPath)
 
 		co := mustload.Running(ClusterFlagValue())
-		fa, err := assets.NewFileAsset(srcPath, "/home/docker/", dstPath, "0644")
+		fa, err := assets.NewFileAsset(srcPath, pt.Dir(dstPath), pt.Base(dstPath), "0644")
 		if err != nil {
 			out.ErrLn("%v", errors.Wrap(err, "getting file asset"))
 			os.Exit(1)
 		}
+
 		if err = co.CP.Runner.Copy(fa); err != nil {
 			out.ErrLn("%v", errors.Wrap(err, "copying file"))
 			os.Exit(1)
@@ -65,3 +68,25 @@ var cpCmd = &cobra.Command{
 
 func init() {
 }
+
+func validateArgs(srcPath string, dstPath string) {
+	if srcPath == "" {
+		exit.Message(reason.Usage, "Source {{.path}} can not be empty", out.V{"path": srcPath})
+	}
+
+	if dstPath == "" {
+		exit.Message(reason.Usage, "Target {{.path}} can not be empty", out.V{"path": dstPath})
+	}
+
+	if _, err := os.Stat(srcPath); err != nil {
+		if os.IsNotExist(err) {
+			exit.Message(reason.HostPathMissing, "Cannot find directory {{.path}} for copy", out.V{"path": srcPath})
+		} else {
+			exit.Error(reason.HostPathStat, "stat failed", err)
+		}
+	}
+
+	if !filepath.IsAbs(dstPath) {
+		exit.Message(reason.Usage, `<target file absolute path> must be an absolute Path. Relative Path is not allowed (example: "/home/docker/copied.txt")`)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/site/content/en/docs/commands/cp.md b/site/content/en/docs/commands/cp.md
index 2db58d145261..b04ec3ab8ffc 100644
--- a/site/content/en/docs/commands/cp.md
+++ b/site/content/en/docs/commands/cp.md
@@ -11,12 +11,12 @@ Copy the specified file into minikube
 
 ### Synopsis
 
-Copy the specified file into minikube, it will be saved at path "/home/docker/<target file path>" in your minikube.
-Example Command : "minikube cp a.txt b.txt"
+Copy the specified file into minikube, it will be saved at path <target file absolute path> in your minikube.
+Example Command : "minikube cp a.txt /home/docker/b.txt"
 
 
 ```shell
-minikube cp <source file path> <target file path followed by '/home/docker/'> [flags]
+minikube cp <source file path> <target file absolute path> [flags]
 ```
 
 ### Options inherited from parent commands
diff --git a/test/integration/functional_test.go b/test/integration/functional_test.go
index 1965a42e92a9..c21821419b43 100644
--- a/test/integration/functional_test.go
+++ b/test/integration/functional_test.go
@@ -1151,7 +1151,7 @@ func validateCpCmd(ctx context.Context, t *testing.T, profile string) {
 	}
 
 	cpPath := filepath.Join(*testdataDir, "cp-test.txt")
-	rr, err := Run(t, exec.CommandContext(ctx, Target(), "-p", profile, "cp", cpPath, "hello_cp.txt"))
+	rr, err := Run(t, exec.CommandContext(ctx, Target(), "-p", profile, "cp", cpPath, "/home/docker/hello_cp.txt"))
 	if ctx.Err() == context.DeadlineExceeded {
 		t.Errorf("failed to run command by deadline. exceeded timeout : %s", rr.Command())
 	}
@@ -1160,7 +1160,7 @@ func validateCpCmd(ctx context.Context, t *testing.T, profile string) {
 	}
 
 	expected := "Test file for checking file cp process"
-	rr, err = Run(t, exec.CommandContext(ctx, Target(), "-p", profile, "ssh", "cat hello_cp.txt"))
+	rr, err = Run(t, exec.CommandContext(ctx, Target(), "-p", profile, "ssh", "cat /home/docker/hello_cp.txt"))
 	if ctx.Err() == context.DeadlineExceeded {
 		t.Errorf("failed to run command by deadline. exceeded timeout : %s", rr.Command())
 	}