diff --git a/cmd/minikube/cmd/start.go b/cmd/minikube/cmd/start.go
index 13a7c2694f8ca90c10a71aa93e9cb4ba923493b4..f8c46436695a6129f5a047bde3f4d9eb64068a57 100644
--- a/cmd/minikube/cmd/start.go
+++ b/cmd/minikube/cmd/start.go
@@ -592,8 +592,13 @@ func validateUser(driver string) {
 		return
 	}
 
-	out.T(out.Stopped, "The {{.driver_name}} driver should not be used with root privileges.", out.V{"driver_name": driver})
+	out.T(out.Stopped, `The "{{.driver_name}}" driver should not be used with root privileges.`, out.V{"driver_name": driver})
+	out.T(out.Tip, "If you are running minikube within a VM, consider using --vm-driver=none:")
+	out.T(out.Documentation, "  https://minikube.sigs.k8s.io/docs/reference/drivers/none/")
 
+	if !useForce {
+		os.Exit(exit.Permissions)
+	}
 	_, err = cfg.Load()
 	if err == nil || !os.IsNotExist(err) {
 		out.T(out.Tip, "Tip: To remove this root owned cluster, run: sudo {{.cmd}} delete", out.V{"cmd": minikubeCmd()})