diff --git a/cmd/minikube/cmd/start.go b/cmd/minikube/cmd/start.go
index e7962a7eecdb..38e43316e692 100644
--- a/cmd/minikube/cmd/start.go
+++ b/cmd/minikube/cmd/start.go
@@ -859,13 +859,18 @@ func validateFlags(cmd *cobra.Command, drvName string) {
 
 		validOptions := cruntime.ValidRuntimes()
 		// `crio` is accepted as an alternative spelling to `cri-o`
-		validOptions = append(validOptions, "crio")
+		validOptions = append(validOptions, constants.CRIO)
 
 		var validRuntime bool
 		for _, option := range validOptions {
 			if runtime == option {
 				validRuntime = true
 			}
+
+			// Convert `cri-o` to `crio` as the K8s config uses the `crio` spelling
+			if runtime == "cri-o" {
+				viper.Set(containerRuntime, constants.CRIO)
+			}
 		}
 
 		if !validRuntime {
diff --git a/pkg/minikube/bootstrapper/kubeadm/kubeadm.go b/pkg/minikube/bootstrapper/kubeadm/kubeadm.go
index 830344fb4435..dbd4111c364c 100644
--- a/pkg/minikube/bootstrapper/kubeadm/kubeadm.go
+++ b/pkg/minikube/bootstrapper/kubeadm/kubeadm.go
@@ -281,7 +281,7 @@ func (k *Bootstrapper) applyCNI(cfg config.ClusterConfig) error {
 		return errors.Wrap(err, "cni apply")
 	}
 
-	if cfg.KubernetesConfig.ContainerRuntime == "crio" {
+	if cfg.KubernetesConfig.ContainerRuntime == constants.CRIO {
 		if err := cruntime.UpdateCRIONet(k.c, cnm.CIDR()); err != nil {
 			return errors.Wrap(err, "update crio")
 		}
diff --git a/pkg/minikube/constants/constants.go b/pkg/minikube/constants/constants.go
index ffdb5bad12b6..18a2e1300783 100644
--- a/pkg/minikube/constants/constants.go
+++ b/pkg/minikube/constants/constants.go
@@ -42,6 +42,8 @@ const (
 	SSHPort = 22
 	// RegistryAddonPort os the default registry addon port
 	RegistryAddonPort = 5000
+	// CRIO is the default spelling for the cri-o container runtime
+	CRIO = "crio"
 
 	// APIServerName is the default API server name
 	APIServerName = "minikubeCA"