diff --git a/cmd/minikube/cmd/config/util.go b/cmd/minikube/cmd/config/util.go
index 1186325503bc..9f01482a5598 100644
--- a/cmd/minikube/cmd/config/util.go
+++ b/cmd/minikube/cmd/config/util.go
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ import (
 	"k8s.io/minikube/pkg/minikube/bootstrapper"
 	"k8s.io/minikube/pkg/minikube/cluster"
 	"k8s.io/minikube/pkg/minikube/config"
+	"k8s.io/minikube/pkg/minikube/console"
 	"k8s.io/minikube/pkg/minikube/constants"
 	"k8s.io/minikube/pkg/minikube/exit"
 	"k8s.io/minikube/pkg/minikube/machine"
@@ -136,8 +137,31 @@ func EnableOrDisableAddon(name string, val string) error {
 	return enableOrDisableAddonInternal(addon, cmd, data, enable)
 }
 
+func isAddonAlreadySet(addon *assets.Addon, enable bool) error {
+
+	addonStatus, err := addon.IsEnabled()
+
+	if err != nil {
+		return errors.Wrap(err, "get the addon status")
+	}
+
+	if addonStatus && enable {
+		return fmt.Errorf("addon %s was already enabled", addon.Name())
+	} else if !addonStatus && !enable {
+		return fmt.Errorf("addon %s was already disabled", addon.Name())
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
+
 func enableOrDisableAddonInternal(addon *assets.Addon, cmd bootstrapper.CommandRunner, data interface{}, enable bool) error {
 	var err error
+	// check addon status before enabling/disabling it
+	if err := isAddonAlreadySet(addon, enable); err != nil {
+		console.ErrStyle(console.Conflict, "%v", err)
+		os.Exit(0)
+	}
+
 	if enable {
 		for _, addon := range addon.Assets {
 			var addonFile assets.CopyableFile
diff --git a/cmd/minikube/cmd/config/util_test.go b/cmd/minikube/cmd/config/util_test.go
index 274b1525d6f6..081533203396 100644
--- a/cmd/minikube/cmd/config/util_test.go
+++ b/cmd/minikube/cmd/config/util_test.go
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ package config
 import (
 	"testing"
 
+	"k8s.io/minikube/pkg/minikube/assets"
 	pkgConfig "k8s.io/minikube/pkg/minikube/config"
 )
 
@@ -79,3 +80,33 @@ func TestSetBool(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("SetBool set wrong value")
 	}
 }
+
+func TestIsAddonAlreadySet(t *testing.T) {
+	testCases := []struct {
+		addonName string
+		expectErr string
+	}{
+		{
+			addonName: "ingress",
+			expectErr: "addon ingress was already ",
+		},
+		{
+			addonName: "heapster",
+			expectErr: "addon heapster was already ",
+		},
+	}
+
+	for _, test := range testCases {
+		addon := assets.Addons[test.addonName]
+		addonStatus, _ := addon.IsEnabled()
+
+		expectMsg := test.expectErr + "enabled"
+		if !addonStatus {
+			expectMsg = test.expectErr + "disabled"
+		}
+		err := isAddonAlreadySet(addon, addonStatus)
+		if err.Error() != expectMsg {
+			t.Errorf("Did not get expected error, \n\n expected: %+v \n\n actual: %+v", expectMsg, err)
+		}
+	}
+}
diff --git a/cmd/minikube/cmd/dashboard.go b/cmd/minikube/cmd/dashboard.go
index 200d285d03c1..1f15b8b7009f 100644
--- a/cmd/minikube/cmd/dashboard.go
+++ b/cmd/minikube/cmd/dashboard.go
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/pkg/errors"
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
 	configcmd "k8s.io/minikube/cmd/minikube/cmd/config"
+	"k8s.io/minikube/pkg/minikube/assets"
 	"k8s.io/minikube/pkg/minikube/cluster"
 	"k8s.io/minikube/pkg/minikube/config"
 	pkg_config "k8s.io/minikube/pkg/minikube/config"
@@ -81,12 +82,17 @@ var dashboardCmd = &cobra.Command{
 		}
 		cluster.EnsureMinikubeRunningOrExit(api, 1)
 
-		// Send status messages to stderr for folks re-using this output.
-		console.ErrStyle(console.Enabling, "Enabling dashboard ...")
-		// Enable the dashboard add-on
-		err = configcmd.Set("dashboard", "true")
-		if err != nil {
-			exit.WithError("Unable to enable dashboard", err)
+		// Check dashboard status before enabling it
+		dashboardAddon := assets.Addons["dashboard"]
+		dashboardStatus, _ := dashboardAddon.IsEnabled()
+		if !dashboardStatus {
+			// Send status messages to stderr for folks re-using this output.
+			console.ErrStyle(console.Enabling, "Enabling dashboard ...")
+			// Enable the dashboard add-on
+			err = configcmd.Set("dashboard", "true")
+			if err != nil {
+				exit.WithError("Unable to enable dashboard", err)
+			}
 		}
 
 		ns := "kube-system"
diff --git a/pkg/minikube/assets/addons.go b/pkg/minikube/assets/addons.go
index f3d7a56307ae..03beb52abde3 100644
--- a/pkg/minikube/assets/addons.go
+++ b/pkg/minikube/assets/addons.go
@@ -47,6 +47,11 @@ func NewAddon(assets []*BinAsset, enabled bool, addonName string) *Addon {
 	return a
 }
 
+// Name get the addon name
+func (a *Addon) Name() string {
+	return a.addonName
+}
+
 // IsEnabled checks if an Addon is enabled
 func (a *Addon) IsEnabled() (bool, error) {
 	addonStatusText, err := config.Get(a.addonName)