diff --git a/pkg/minikube/download/binary.go b/pkg/minikube/download/binary.go
index 6de9d9c42814..bc98f1057c3a 100644
--- a/pkg/minikube/download/binary.go
+++ b/pkg/minikube/download/binary.go
@@ -53,7 +53,10 @@ func binaryWithChecksumURL(binaryName, version, osName, archName, binaryURL stri
 
 // Binary will download a binary onto the host
 func Binary(binary, version, osName, archName, binaryURL string) (string, error) {
-	targetDir := localpath.MakeMiniPath("cache", osName, archName, version)
+	targetDir := localpath.MakeMiniPath("cache", "bin", osName, archName, version)
+	if err := os.MkdirAll(targetDir, 0755); err != nil {
+		return "", errors.Wrapf(err, "failed to create target dir %s", targetDir)
+	}
 	targetFilepath := path.Join(targetDir, binary)
 	targetLock := targetFilepath + ".lock"
 
diff --git a/pkg/minikube/download/download_test.go b/pkg/minikube/download/download_test.go
index beb44643fbd1..234a646d6c79 100644
--- a/pkg/minikube/download/download_test.go
+++ b/pkg/minikube/download/download_test.go
@@ -20,11 +20,13 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"io/fs"
 	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
 	"sync"
 	"testing"
 	"time"
 
 	"k8s.io/minikube/pkg/minikube/constants"
+	"k8s.io/minikube/pkg/minikube/localpath"
 )
 
 // Force download tests to run in serial.
@@ -242,3 +244,24 @@ func testPreloadWithCachedSizeZero(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Errorf("Expected only 1 download attempt but got %v!", downloadNum)
 	}
 }
+
+func TestBinaryCreatesBinariesDir(t *testing.T) {
+	// mock download function that creates a fake binary file
+	DownloadMock = func(src, dst string) error {
+		// create a fake binary file at dst
+		return os.WriteFile(dst, []byte("fake-binary"), 0755)
+	}
+
+	_, err := Binary("kubectl", "v1.31.0", "linux", "amd64", "")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Binary() failed: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	// check that the bin directory was created
+	targetDir := filepath.Join(
+		localpath.MiniPath(), "cache", "bin", "linux", "amd64", "v1.31.0",
+	)
+	if _, err := os.Stat(targetDir); os.IsNotExist(err) {
+		t.Errorf("Expected bin dir %s to exist, but it does not", targetDir)
+	}
+}