diff --git a/pkg/minikube/node/config.go b/pkg/minikube/node/config.go
index e93a7fc4d87b..d9500b276750 100644
--- a/pkg/minikube/node/config.go
+++ b/pkg/minikube/node/config.go
@@ -66,7 +66,9 @@ func configureRuntimes(runner cruntime.CommandRunner, drvName string, k8s config
 	if driver.BareMetal(drvName) {
 		disableOthers = false
 	}
-	if !driver.IsKIC(drvName) {
+
+	// Preload is overly invasive for bare metal, and caching is not meaningful.
+	if driver.IsVM(drvName) {
 		if err := cr.Preload(k8s.KubernetesVersion); err != nil {
 			switch err.(type) {
 			case *cruntime.ErrISOFeature:
diff --git a/pkg/minikube/node/start.go b/pkg/minikube/node/start.go
index 8dfbde664360..ad8e5e42e4b1 100644
--- a/pkg/minikube/node/start.go
+++ b/pkg/minikube/node/start.go
@@ -44,7 +44,10 @@ func Start(mc config.ClusterConfig, n config.Node, primary bool, existingAddons
 	}
 
 	var cacheGroup errgroup.Group
-	beginCacheKubernetesImages(&cacheGroup, mc.KubernetesConfig.ImageRepository, k8sVersion, mc.KubernetesConfig.ContainerRuntime)
+	// Adding a second layer of cache does not make sense for the none driver
+	if !driver.BareMetal(driverName) {
+		beginCacheKubernetesImages(&cacheGroup, mc.KubernetesConfig.ImageRepository, k8sVersion, mc.KubernetesConfig.ContainerRuntime)
+	}
 
 	// Abstraction leakage alert: startHost requires the config to be saved, to satistfy pkg/provision/buildroot.
 	// Hence, saveConfig must be called before startHost, and again afterwards when we know the IP.