diff --git a/pkg/minikube/bootstrapper/bsutil/kverify/api_server.go b/pkg/minikube/bootstrapper/bsutil/kverify/api_server.go
index d98b069c7e6e..2fc1566bd144 100644
--- a/pkg/minikube/bootstrapper/bsutil/kverify/api_server.go
+++ b/pkg/minikube/bootstrapper/bsutil/kverify/api_server.go
@@ -205,7 +205,13 @@ func apiServerHealthz(hostname string, port int) (state.State, error) {
 		return nil
 	}
 
-	err = retry.Local(check, 8*time.Second)
+	err = retry.Local(check, 5*time.Second)
+
+	// Don't propagate 'Stopped' upwards as an error message, as clients may interpret the err
+	// as an inability to get status. We need it for retry.Local, however.
+	if st == state.Stopped {
+		return st, nil
+	}
 	return st, err
 }
 
diff --git a/pkg/util/retry/retry.go b/pkg/util/retry/retry.go
index 8bdacf461096..cc2b53457580 100644
--- a/pkg/util/retry/retry.go
+++ b/pkg/util/retry/retry.go
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ func Local(callback func() error, maxTime time.Duration) error {
 	b.InitialInterval = 250 * time.Millisecond
 	b.RandomizationFactor = 0.25
 	b.Multiplier = 1.25
+	b.MaxElapsedTime = maxTime
 	return backoff.RetryNotify(callback, b, notify)
 }