diff --git a/pkg/minikube/console/console.go b/pkg/minikube/console/console.go
index df9025427412..291ff6730a36 100644
--- a/pkg/minikube/console/console.go
+++ b/pkg/minikube/console/console.go
@@ -70,7 +70,11 @@ func HasStyle(style string) bool {
 
 // OutStyle writes a stylized and formatted message to stdout
 func OutStyle(style, format string, a ...interface{}) error {
-	OutStyle, err := applyStyle(style, useColor, fmt.Sprintf(format, a...))
+	outStyled, err := applyStyle(style, useColor, format, a...)
+	// format the output string and escape any outstanding '%' signs so that they don't
+	// get interpreted as a formatting directive down the line
+	outStyled = strings.Replace(outStyled, "%", "%%", -1)
+
 	if err != nil {
 		glog.Errorf("applyStyle(%s): %v", style, err)
 		if oerr := OutLn(format, a...); oerr != nil {
@@ -78,7 +82,7 @@ func OutStyle(style, format string, a ...interface{}) error {
 		}
 		return err
 	}
-	return Out(OutStyle)
+	return Out(outStyled)
 }
 
 // Out writes a basic formatted string to stdout
diff --git a/pkg/minikube/console/console_test.go b/pkg/minikube/console/console_test.go
index 7e0af8e1da26..1b86421cffd6 100644
--- a/pkg/minikube/console/console_test.go
+++ b/pkg/minikube/console/console_test.go
@@ -51,22 +51,37 @@ func TestOutStyle(t *testing.T) {
 		style    string
 		envValue string
 		message  string
+		params   []interface{}
 		want     string
 	}{
-		{"happy", "true", "This is happy.", "😄  This is happy.\n"},
-		{"Docker", "true", "This is Docker.", "🐳  This is Docker.\n"},
-		{"option", "true", "This is option.", "    ▪ This is option.\n"},
-
-		{"happy", "false", "This is happy.", "o   This is happy.\n"},
-		{"Docker", "false", "This is Docker.", "-   This is Docker.\n"},
-		{"option", "false", "This is option.", "    - This is option.\n"},
+		{"happy", "true", "This is happy.", nil, "😄  This is happy.\n"},
+		{"Docker", "true", "This is Docker.", nil, "🐳  This is Docker.\n"},
+		{"option", "true", "This is option.", nil, "    ▪ This is option.\n"},
+		{
+			"option",
+			"true",
+			"Message with params: %s %s",
+			[]interface{}{"encode '%' signs", "%s%%%d"},
+			"    ▪ Message with params: encode '%' signs %s%%%d\n",
+		},
+
+		{"happy", "false", "This is happy.", nil, "o   This is happy.\n"},
+		{"Docker", "false", "This is Docker.", nil, "-   This is Docker.\n"},
+		{"option", "false", "This is option.", nil, "    - This is option.\n"},
+		{
+			"option",
+			"false",
+			"Message with params: %s %s",
+			[]interface{}{"encode '%' signs", "%s%%%d"},
+			"    - Message with params: encode '%' signs %s%%%d\n",
+		},
 	}
 	for _, tc := range tests {
 		t.Run(tc.style+"-"+tc.envValue, func(t *testing.T) {
 			os.Setenv(OverrideEnv, tc.envValue)
 			f := newFakeFile()
 			SetOutFile(f)
-			if err := OutStyle(tc.style, tc.message); err != nil {
+			if err := OutStyle(tc.style, tc.message, tc.params...); err != nil {
 				t.Errorf("unexpected error: %q", err)
 			}
 			got := f.String()