diff --git a/cmd/minikube/cmd/start.go b/cmd/minikube/cmd/start.go
index 64af373d47af..f7a5d24dac1a 100644
--- a/cmd/minikube/cmd/start.go
+++ b/cmd/minikube/cmd/start.go
@@ -396,6 +396,7 @@ func init() {
 	startCmd.Flags().StringSliceVar(&insecureRegistry, "insecure-registry", nil, "Insecure Docker registries to pass to the Docker daemon.  The default service CIDR range will automatically be added.")
 	startCmd.Flags().StringSliceVar(&registryMirror, "registry-mirror", nil, "Registry mirrors to pass to the Docker daemon")
 	startCmd.Flags().String(containerRuntime, "", "The container runtime to be used")
+	startCmd.Flags().String(kubernetesVersion, constants.DefaultKubernetesVersion, "The kubernetes version that the minikube VM will use (ex: v1.2.3)")
 	startCmd.Flags().String(networkPlugin, "", "The name of the network plugin")
 	startCmd.Flags().String(featureGates, "", "A set of key=value pairs that describe feature gates for alpha/experimental features.")
 	startCmd.Flags().Bool(cacheImages, false, "If true, cache docker images for the current bootstrapper and load them into the machine.")