diff --git a/cmd/minikube/cmd/dashboard.go b/cmd/minikube/cmd/dashboard.go
index c235adbab27e..e3c9e93b6be3 100644
--- a/cmd/minikube/cmd/dashboard.go
+++ b/cmd/minikube/cmd/dashboard.go
@@ -63,10 +63,8 @@ var dashboardCmd = &cobra.Command{
 			}
 		}
 
-		kubectl, err := exec.LookPath("kubectl")
-		if err != nil {
-			exit.WithCodeT(exit.NoInput, "kubectl not found in PATH, but is required for the dashboard. Installation guide: https://kubernetes.io/docs/tasks/tools/install-kubectl/")
-		}
+		kubectlVersion := co.Config.KubernetesConfig.KubernetesVersion
+		var err error
 
 		// Check dashboard status before enabling it
 		dashboardAddon := assets.Addons["dashboard"]
@@ -90,7 +88,7 @@ var dashboardCmd = &cobra.Command{
 		}
 
 		out.ErrT(out.Launch, "Launching proxy ...")
-		p, hostPort, err := kubectlProxy(kubectl, cname)
+		p, hostPort, err := kubectlProxy(kubectlVersion, cname)
 		if err != nil {
 			exit.WithError("kubectl proxy", err)
 		}
@@ -124,10 +122,17 @@ var dashboardCmd = &cobra.Command{
 }
 
 // kubectlProxy runs "kubectl proxy", returning host:port
-func kubectlProxy(path string, contextName string) (*exec.Cmd, string, error) {
+func kubectlProxy(kubectlVersion string, contextName string) (*exec.Cmd, string, error) {
 	// port=0 picks a random system port
 
-	cmd := exec.Command(path, "--context", contextName, "proxy", "--port=0")
+	kubectlArgs := []string{"--context", contextName, "proxy", "--port=0"}
+
+	var cmd *exec.Cmd
+	if kubectl, err := exec.LookPath("kubectl"); err == nil {
+		cmd = exec.Command(kubectl, kubectlArgs...)
+	} else if cmd, err = KubectlCommand(kubectlVersion, kubectlArgs...); err != nil {
+		return nil, "", err
+	}
 
 	stdoutPipe, err := cmd.StdoutPipe()
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/cmd/minikube/cmd/kubectl.go b/cmd/minikube/cmd/kubectl.go
index f4867b45e0ea..3eca6dfb0614 100644
--- a/cmd/minikube/cmd/kubectl.go
+++ b/cmd/minikube/cmd/kubectl.go
@@ -43,17 +43,12 @@ minikube kubectl -- get pods --namespace kube-system`,
 		co := mustload.Healthy(ClusterFlagValue())
 
 		version := co.Config.KubernetesConfig.KubernetesVersion
-		if version == "" {
-			version = constants.DefaultKubernetesVersion
-		}
-
-		path, err := node.CacheKubectlBinary(version)
+		c, err := KubectlCommand(version, args...)
 		if err != nil {
 			out.ErrLn("Error caching kubectl: %v", err)
 		}
 
 		glog.Infof("Running %s %v", path, args)
-		c := exec.Command(path, args...)
 		c.Stdin = os.Stdin
 		c.Stdout = os.Stdout
 		c.Stderr = os.Stderr
@@ -70,3 +65,17 @@ minikube kubectl -- get pods --namespace kube-system`,
 		}
 	},
 }
+
+// KubectlCommand will return kubectl command with a version matching the cluster
+func KubectlCommand(version string, args ...string) (*exec.Cmd, error) {
+	if version == "" {
+		version = constants.DefaultKubernetesVersion
+	}
+
+	path, err := node.CacheKubectlBinary(version)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	return exec.Command(path, args...), nil
+}