diff --git a/cmd/minikube/cmd/start.go b/cmd/minikube/cmd/start.go
index 62911c7d40ec..6421a206af92 100644
--- a/cmd/minikube/cmd/start.go
+++ b/cmd/minikube/cmd/start.go
@@ -213,6 +213,10 @@ func runStart(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
 			success := false
 			// Walk down the rest of the options
 			for _, alt := range alts {
+				// Skip non-default drivers
+				if !ds.Default {
+					continue
+				}
 				out.WarningT("Startup with {{.old_driver}} driver failed, trying with alternate driver {{.new_driver}}: {{.error}}", out.V{"old_driver": ds.Name, "new_driver": alt.Name, "error": err})
 				ds = alt
 				// Delete the existing cluster and try again with the next driver on the list
diff --git a/pkg/minikube/driver/driver.go b/pkg/minikube/driver/driver.go
index c9042b773d00..5ca3b4288b3b 100644
--- a/pkg/minikube/driver/driver.go
+++ b/pkg/minikube/driver/driver.go
@@ -255,6 +255,11 @@ func Suggest(options []registry.DriverState) (registry.DriverState, []registry.D
 			continue
 		}
 
+		if !ds.Default {
+			klog.Infof("not recommending %q due to default: %v", ds.Name, ds.Default)
+			continue
+		}
+
 		if ds.Priority <= registry.Discouraged {
 			klog.Infof("not recommending %q due to priority: %d", ds.Name, ds.Priority)
 			continue
@@ -296,6 +301,7 @@ func Status(name string) registry.DriverState {
 	d := registry.Driver(name)
 	return registry.DriverState{
 		Name:     d.Name,
+		Default:  d.Default,
 		Priority: d.Priority,
 		State:    registry.Status(name),
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/minikube/driver/driver_test.go b/pkg/minikube/driver/driver_test.go
index b4fac014eb52..b602003b5aac 100644
--- a/pkg/minikube/driver/driver_test.go
+++ b/pkg/minikube/driver/driver_test.go
@@ -119,6 +119,7 @@ func TestSuggest(t *testing.T) {
 		{
 			def: registry.DriverDef{
 				Name:     "unhealthy",
+				Default:  true,
 				Priority: registry.Default,
 				Status:   func() registry.State { return registry.State{Installed: true, Healthy: false} },
 			},
@@ -130,6 +131,7 @@ func TestSuggest(t *testing.T) {
 		{
 			def: registry.DriverDef{
 				Name:     "discouraged",
+				Default:  false,
 				Priority: registry.Discouraged,
 				Status:   func() registry.State { return registry.State{Installed: true, Healthy: true} },
 			},
@@ -141,6 +143,7 @@ func TestSuggest(t *testing.T) {
 		{
 			def: registry.DriverDef{
 				Name:     "default",
+				Default:  true,
 				Priority: registry.Default,
 				Status:   func() registry.State { return registry.State{Installed: true, Healthy: true} },
 			},
@@ -152,6 +155,7 @@ func TestSuggest(t *testing.T) {
 		{
 			def: registry.DriverDef{
 				Name:     "preferred",
+				Default:  true,
 				Priority: registry.Preferred,
 				Status:   func() registry.State { return registry.State{Installed: true, Healthy: true} },
 			},
diff --git a/pkg/minikube/registry/drvs/docker/docker.go b/pkg/minikube/registry/drvs/docker/docker.go
index 8616159c453f..d29904a9b813 100644
--- a/pkg/minikube/registry/drvs/docker/docker.go
+++ b/pkg/minikube/registry/drvs/docker/docker.go
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ func init() {
 		Config:   configure,
 		Init:     func() drivers.Driver { return kic.NewDriver(kic.Config{OCIBinary: oci.Docker}) },
 		Status:   status,
+		Default:  true,
 		Priority: registry.HighlyPreferred,
 	}); err != nil {
 		panic(fmt.Sprintf("register failed: %v", err))
diff --git a/pkg/minikube/registry/drvs/hyperkit/hyperkit.go b/pkg/minikube/registry/drvs/hyperkit/hyperkit.go
index 33d0caf3f399..4abde3a3d656 100644
--- a/pkg/minikube/registry/drvs/hyperkit/hyperkit.go
+++ b/pkg/minikube/registry/drvs/hyperkit/hyperkit.go
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@ func init() {
 		Name:     driver.HyperKit,
 		Config:   configure,
 		Status:   status,
+		Default:  true,
 		Priority: registry.Preferred,
 	}); err != nil {
 		panic(fmt.Sprintf("register: %v", err))
diff --git a/pkg/minikube/registry/drvs/hyperv/hyperv.go b/pkg/minikube/registry/drvs/hyperv/hyperv.go
index 7f324939d178..f8ce19f98fbf 100644
--- a/pkg/minikube/registry/drvs/hyperv/hyperv.go
+++ b/pkg/minikube/registry/drvs/hyperv/hyperv.go
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ func init() {
 		Init:     func() drivers.Driver { return hyperv.NewDriver("", "") },
 		Config:   configure,
 		Status:   status,
+		Default:  true,
 		Priority: registry.Preferred,
 	}); err != nil {
 		panic(fmt.Sprintf("register: %v", err))
diff --git a/pkg/minikube/registry/drvs/kvm2/kvm2.go b/pkg/minikube/registry/drvs/kvm2/kvm2.go
index 4dbce061d15c..393b7c6fbf9e 100644
--- a/pkg/minikube/registry/drvs/kvm2/kvm2.go
+++ b/pkg/minikube/registry/drvs/kvm2/kvm2.go
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ func init() {
 		Alias:    []string{driver.AliasKVM},
 		Config:   configure,
 		Status:   status,
+		Default:  true,
 		Priority: registry.Preferred,
 	}); err != nil {
 		panic(fmt.Sprintf("register failed: %v", err))
diff --git a/pkg/minikube/registry/drvs/none/none.go b/pkg/minikube/registry/drvs/none/none.go
index b50d2b0c1dd4..e2fcf11b0691 100644
--- a/pkg/minikube/registry/drvs/none/none.go
+++ b/pkg/minikube/registry/drvs/none/none.go
@@ -38,7 +38,8 @@ func init() {
 		Config:   configure,
 		Init:     func() drivers.Driver { return none.NewDriver(none.Config{}) },
 		Status:   status,
-		Priority: registry.Discouraged, // requires root
+		Default:  false, // no isolation
+		Priority: registry.Discouraged,
 	}); err != nil {
 		panic(fmt.Sprintf("register failed: %v", err))
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/minikube/registry/drvs/parallels/parallels.go b/pkg/minikube/registry/drvs/parallels/parallels.go
index 45e888d66064..a9b22ae36ab1 100644
--- a/pkg/minikube/registry/drvs/parallels/parallels.go
+++ b/pkg/minikube/registry/drvs/parallels/parallels.go
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ func init() {
 		Name:     driver.Parallels,
 		Config:   configure,
 		Status:   status,
+		Default:  true,
 		Priority: registry.Default,
 		Init:     func() drivers.Driver { return parallels.NewDriver("", "") },
 	})
diff --git a/pkg/minikube/registry/drvs/podman/podman.go b/pkg/minikube/registry/drvs/podman/podman.go
index 9c5ddc931633..ef74aac63b74 100644
--- a/pkg/minikube/registry/drvs/podman/podman.go
+++ b/pkg/minikube/registry/drvs/podman/podman.go
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@ func init() {
 		Config:   configure,
 		Init:     func() drivers.Driver { return kic.NewDriver(kic.Config{OCIBinary: oci.Podman}) },
 		Status:   status,
+		Default:  true,
 		Priority: priority,
 	}); err != nil {
 		panic(fmt.Sprintf("register failed: %v", err))
diff --git a/pkg/minikube/registry/drvs/ssh/ssh.go b/pkg/minikube/registry/drvs/ssh/ssh.go
index 45dfc3e3550c..8985143b615c 100644
--- a/pkg/minikube/registry/drvs/ssh/ssh.go
+++ b/pkg/minikube/registry/drvs/ssh/ssh.go
@@ -35,7 +35,8 @@ func init() {
 		Alias:    []string{driver.AliasSSH},
 		Config:   configure,
 		Status:   status,
-		Priority: registry.Discouraged, // requires external VM
+		Default:  false, // requires external VM
+		Priority: registry.Discouraged,
 		Init:     func() drivers.Driver { return ssh.NewDriver(ssh.Config{}) },
 	})
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/pkg/minikube/registry/drvs/virtualbox/virtualbox.go b/pkg/minikube/registry/drvs/virtualbox/virtualbox.go
index 1d7cdac97fad..60f837790cb3 100644
--- a/pkg/minikube/registry/drvs/virtualbox/virtualbox.go
+++ b/pkg/minikube/registry/drvs/virtualbox/virtualbox.go
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ func init() {
 		Name:     driver.VirtualBox,
 		Config:   configure,
 		Status:   status,
+		Default:  true,
 		Priority: registry.Fallback,
 		Init:     func() drivers.Driver { return virtualbox.NewDriver("", "") },
 	})
diff --git a/pkg/minikube/registry/drvs/vmware/vmware.go b/pkg/minikube/registry/drvs/vmware/vmware.go
index c422b4b60b48..de335931f785 100644
--- a/pkg/minikube/registry/drvs/vmware/vmware.go
+++ b/pkg/minikube/registry/drvs/vmware/vmware.go
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ func init() {
 	err := registry.Register(registry.DriverDef{
 		Name:     driver.VMware,
 		Config:   configure,
+		Default:  true,
 		Priority: registry.Default,
 		Status:   status,
 	})
diff --git a/pkg/minikube/registry/drvs/vmwarefusion/vmwarefusion.go b/pkg/minikube/registry/drvs/vmwarefusion/vmwarefusion.go
index 649bb8513d99..d2197f077845 100644
--- a/pkg/minikube/registry/drvs/vmwarefusion/vmwarefusion.go
+++ b/pkg/minikube/registry/drvs/vmwarefusion/vmwarefusion.go
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ func init() {
 	if err := registry.Register(registry.DriverDef{
 		Name:     driver.VMwareFusion,
 		Status:   status,
+		Default:  false, // see driver.VMware instead
 		Priority: registry.Obsolete,
 	}); err != nil {
 		panic(fmt.Sprintf("register: %v", err))
diff --git a/pkg/minikube/registry/global.go b/pkg/minikube/registry/global.go
index 7ffc3d5d94de..8b942e99e248 100644
--- a/pkg/minikube/registry/global.go
+++ b/pkg/minikube/registry/global.go
@@ -67,6 +67,7 @@ var (
 // DriverState is metadata relating to a driver and status
 type DriverState struct {
 	Name     string
+	Default  bool
 	Priority Priority
 	State    State
 	// Rejection is why we chose not to use this driver
@@ -107,7 +108,7 @@ func Available(vm bool) []DriverState {
 			continue
 		}
 		s := d.Status()
-		klog.Infof("%s priority: %d, state: %+v", d.Name, d.Priority, s)
+		klog.Infof("%s default: %v priority: %d, state: %+v", d.Name, d.Default, d.Priority, s)
 
 		priority := d.Priority
 		if !s.Healthy {
@@ -116,10 +117,10 @@ func Available(vm bool) []DriverState {
 
 		if vm {
 			if IsVM(d.Name) {
-				sts = append(sts, DriverState{Name: d.Name, Priority: priority, State: s})
+				sts = append(sts, DriverState{Name: d.Name, Default: d.Default, Priority: priority, State: s})
 			}
 		} else {
-			sts = append(sts, DriverState{Name: d.Name, Priority: priority, State: s})
+			sts = append(sts, DriverState{Name: d.Name, Default: d.Default, Priority: priority, State: s})
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/pkg/minikube/registry/global_test.go b/pkg/minikube/registry/global_test.go
index 9cb01a1e3599..f76e1adef0bf 100644
--- a/pkg/minikube/registry/global_test.go
+++ b/pkg/minikube/registry/global_test.go
@@ -73,6 +73,7 @@ func TestGlobalAvailable(t *testing.T) {
 
 	bar := DriverDef{
 		Name:     "healthy-bar",
+		Default:  true,
 		Priority: Default,
 		Status:   func() State { return State{Healthy: true} },
 	}
@@ -82,6 +83,7 @@ func TestGlobalAvailable(t *testing.T) {
 
 	foo := DriverDef{
 		Name:     "unhealthy-foo",
+		Default:  true,
 		Priority: Default,
 		Status:   func() State { return State{Healthy: false} },
 	}
@@ -92,11 +94,13 @@ func TestGlobalAvailable(t *testing.T) {
 	expected := []DriverState{
 		{
 			Name:     "healthy-bar",
+			Default:  true,
 			Priority: Default,
 			State:    State{Healthy: true},
 		},
 		{
 			Name:     "unhealthy-foo",
+			Default:  true,
 			Priority: Unhealthy,
 			State:    State{Healthy: false},
 		},
@@ -117,6 +121,7 @@ func TestGlobalStatus(t *testing.T) {
 	expected := State{Installed: true, Healthy: true}
 	bar := DriverDef{
 		Name:     "bar",
+		Default:  true,
 		Priority: Default,
 		Status:   func() State { return expected },
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/minikube/registry/registry.go b/pkg/minikube/registry/registry.go
index 3d4b065d1083..3deb18e1221f 100644
--- a/pkg/minikube/registry/registry.go
+++ b/pkg/minikube/registry/registry.go
@@ -102,6 +102,9 @@ type DriverDef struct {
 	// Status returns the installation status of the driver
 	Status StatusChecker
 
+	// Default is whether this driver is selected by default or not (opt-in).
+	Default bool
+
 	// Priority returns the prioritization for selecting a driver by default.
 	Priority Priority
 }