diff --git a/integration/util.go b/integration/util.go
index 0e3cd70ccf6..3af102ea735 100644
--- a/integration/util.go
+++ b/integration/util.go
@@ -516,6 +516,7 @@ type fakeDockerConfig struct {
 
 func (d fakeDockerConfig) GetKubeContext() string                 { return d.kubeContext }
 func (d fakeDockerConfig) MinikubeProfile() string                { return "" }
+func (d fakeDockerConfig) DetectMinikube() bool                   { return true }
 func (d fakeDockerConfig) GlobalConfig() string                   { return "" }
 func (d fakeDockerConfig) Prune() bool                            { return false }
 func (d fakeDockerConfig) ContainerDebugging() bool               { return false }
diff --git a/pkg/skaffold/docker/client.go b/pkg/skaffold/docker/client.go
index 73dc716d5d4..e7d6c3dd2a1 100644
--- a/pkg/skaffold/docker/client.go
+++ b/pkg/skaffold/docker/client.go
@@ -64,6 +64,7 @@ type Config interface {
 	GlobalConfig() string
 	GetKubeContext() string
 	MinikubeProfile() string
+	DetectMinikube() bool
 	GetInsecureRegistries() map[string]bool
 	Mode() config.RunMode
 }
@@ -71,7 +72,7 @@ type Config interface {
 // NewAPIClientImpl guesses the docker client to use based on current Kubernetes context.
 func NewAPIClientImpl(ctx context.Context, cfg Config) (LocalDaemon, error) {
 	dockerAPIClientOnce.Do(func() {
-		env, apiClient, err := newAPIClient(ctx, cfg.GetKubeContext(), cfg.MinikubeProfile())
+		env, apiClient, err := newAPIClient(ctx, cfg.GetKubeContext(), cfg.MinikubeProfile(), cfg.DetectMinikube())
 		dockerAPIClient = NewLocalDaemon(apiClient, env, cfg.Prune(), cfg)
 		dockerAPIClientErr = err
 	})
@@ -84,11 +85,11 @@ func NewAPIClientImpl(ctx context.Context, cfg Config) (LocalDaemon, error) {
 // kubecontext API Server to minikube profiles
 
 // newAPIClient guesses the docker client to use based on current Kubernetes context.
-func newAPIClient(ctx context.Context, kubeContext string, minikubeProfile string) ([]string, client.CommonAPIClient, error) {
+func newAPIClient(ctx context.Context, kubeContext string, minikubeProfile string, detectMinikube bool) ([]string, client.CommonAPIClient, error) {
 	if minikubeProfile != "" { // skip validation if explicitly specifying minikubeProfile.
 		return newMinikubeAPIClient(ctx, minikubeProfile)
 	}
-	if cluster.GetClient().IsMinikube(ctx, kubeContext) {
+	if detectMinikube && cluster.GetClient().IsMinikube(ctx, kubeContext) {
 		return newMinikubeAPIClient(ctx, kubeContext)
 	}
 	return newEnvAPIClient()
diff --git a/pkg/skaffold/docker/dockertest.go b/pkg/skaffold/docker/dockertest.go
index 833c51b713b..5b8ca20693e 100644
--- a/pkg/skaffold/docker/dockertest.go
+++ b/pkg/skaffold/docker/dockertest.go
@@ -88,6 +88,10 @@ func (m configStub) ContainerDebugging() bool {
 	return false
 }
 
+func (m configStub) DetectMinikube() bool {
+	return true
+}
+
 func NewConfigStub(mode config.RunMode, prune bool) Config {
 	return &configStub{runMode: mode, prune: prune}
 }
diff --git a/pkg/skaffold/runner/runcontext/context.go b/pkg/skaffold/runner/runcontext/context.go
index 76d2c84f35d..643d1c41115 100644
--- a/pkg/skaffold/runner/runcontext/context.go
+++ b/pkg/skaffold/runner/runcontext/context.go
@@ -330,6 +330,7 @@ func (rc *RunContext) GlobalConfig() string                          { return rc
 func (rc *RunContext) HydratedManifests() []string                   { return rc.Opts.HydratedManifests }
 func (rc *RunContext) LoadImages() bool                              { return rc.Cluster.LoadImages }
 func (rc *RunContext) ForceLoadImages() bool                         { return rc.Opts.ForceLoadImages }
+func (rc *RunContext) DetectMinikube() bool                          { return rc.Opts.DetectMinikube }
 func (rc *RunContext) MinikubeProfile() string                       { return rc.Opts.MinikubeProfile }
 func (rc *RunContext) Muted() config.Muted                           { return rc.Opts.Muted }
 func (rc *RunContext) NoPruneChildren() bool                         { return rc.Opts.NoPruneChildren }