diff --git a/cmd/minikube/cmd/start.go b/cmd/minikube/cmd/start.go
index aef199c8dc44..bfaf528faf80 100644
--- a/cmd/minikube/cmd/start.go
+++ b/cmd/minikube/cmd/start.go
@@ -976,7 +976,7 @@ func getKubernetesVersion(old *config.ClusterConfig) string {
 		if viper.GetBool(force) {
 			out.WarningT("Kubernetes {{.version}} is not supported by this release of minikube", out.V{"version": nvs})
 		} else {
-			exit.WithCodeT(exit.Data, "Sorry, Kubernetes {{.version}} is not supported by this release of minikube", out.V{"version": nvs})
+			exit.WithCodeT(exit.Data, "Sorry, Kubernetes {{.version}} is not supported by this release of minikube. To use this version anyway, use the `--force` flag.", out.V{"version": nvs})
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/pkg/minikube/constants/constants.go b/pkg/minikube/constants/constants.go
index c4fc8d7e6f0c..256b655ce69b 100644
--- a/pkg/minikube/constants/constants.go
+++ b/pkg/minikube/constants/constants.go
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ const (
 	// NewestKubernetesVersion is the newest Kubernetes version to test against
 	NewestKubernetesVersion = "v1.18.3-beta.0"
 	// OldestKubernetesVersion is the oldest Kubernetes version to test against
-	OldestKubernetesVersion = "v1.12.0"
+	OldestKubernetesVersion = "v1.13.0"
 	// DefaultClusterName is the default nane for the k8s cluster
 	DefaultClusterName = "minikube"
 	// DockerDaemonPort is the port Docker daemon listening inside a minikube node (vm or container).