diff --git a/pkg/minikube/cruntime/docker.go b/pkg/minikube/cruntime/docker.go
index 3b98bb51e764..c27d7e84ea36 100644
--- a/pkg/minikube/cruntime/docker.go
+++ b/pkg/minikube/cruntime/docker.go
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ package cruntime
 import (
 	"fmt"
 	"os/exec"
-	"path/filepath"
+	"path"
 	"strings"
 	"time"
 
@@ -272,7 +272,9 @@ func (r *Docker) SystemLogCmd(len int) string {
 // 3. Remove the tarball within the VM
 func (r *Docker) Preload(k8sVersion string) error {
 	tarballPath := download.TarballPath(k8sVersion)
-	dest := "/preloaded.tar.lz4"
+	targetDir := "/"
+	targetName := "preloaded.tar.lz4"
+	dest := path.Join(targetDir, targetName)
 
 	c := exec.Command("which", "lz4")
 	if _, err := r.Runner.RunCmd(c); err != nil {
@@ -280,7 +282,7 @@ func (r *Docker) Preload(k8sVersion string) error {
 	}
 
 	// Copy over tarball into host
-	fa, err := assets.NewFileAsset(tarballPath, filepath.Dir(dest), filepath.Base(dest), "0644")
+	fa, err := assets.NewFileAsset(tarballPath, targetDir, targetName, "0644")
 	if err != nil {
 		return errors.Wrap(err, "getting file asset")
 	}