diff --git a/cmd/minikube/cmd/config/configure.go b/cmd/minikube/cmd/config/configure.go
index 2ae84602ea06..362c3089cfdf 100644
--- a/cmd/minikube/cmd/config/configure.go
+++ b/cmd/minikube/cmd/config/configure.go
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ import (
 	"k8s.io/minikube/pkg/minikube/reason"
 	"k8s.io/minikube/pkg/minikube/service"
 	"k8s.io/minikube/pkg/minikube/style"
+	"k8s.io/minikube/pkg/minikube/sysinit"
 )
 
 var posResponses = []string{"yes", "y"}
@@ -255,7 +256,7 @@ var addonsConfigureCmd = &cobra.Command{
 				}
 			}
 		case "auto-pause":
-			_, cfg := mustload.Partial(profile)
+			lapi, cfg := mustload.Partial(profile)
 			intervalInput := AskForStaticValue("-- Enter interval time of auto-pause-interval (ex. 1m0s): ")
 			intervalTime, err := time.ParseDuration(intervalInput)
 			if err != nil {
@@ -274,6 +275,15 @@ var addonsConfigureCmd = &cobra.Command{
 				if err := addons.EnableOrDisableAddon(cfg, "auto-pause", "true"); err != nil {
 					out.ErrT(style.Fatal, "Failed to configure auto-pause {{.profile}}", out.V{"profile": profile})
 				}
+				// see #17945: restart auto-pause service
+				p, err := config.LoadProfile(profile)
+				if err != nil {
+					out.ErrT(style.Fatal, "failed to load profile: {{.error}}", out.V{"error": err})
+				}
+				if profileStatus(p, lapi).StatusCode/100 == 2 { //2xx code
+					co := mustload.Running(profile)
+					sysinit.New(co.CP.Runner).Restart("auto-pause")
+				}
 			}
 		default:
 			out.FailureT("{{.name}} has no available configuration options", out.V{"name": addon})
diff --git a/cmd/minikube/cmd/config/profile_list.go b/cmd/minikube/cmd/config/profile_list.go
index fd34543f4792..081b02699523 100644
--- a/cmd/minikube/cmd/config/profile_list.go
+++ b/cmd/minikube/cmd/config/profile_list.go
@@ -104,11 +104,11 @@ func updateProfilesStatus(profiles []*config.Profile) {
 	defer api.Close()
 
 	for _, p := range profiles {
-		p.Status = profileStatus(p, api)
+		p.Status = profileStatus(p, api).StatusName
 	}
 }
 
-func profileStatus(p *config.Profile, api libmachine.API) string {
+func profileStatus(p *config.Profile, api libmachine.API) cluster.State {
 	cps := config.ControlPlanes(*p.Config)
 	if len(cps) == 0 {
 		exit.Message(reason.GuestCpConfig, "No control-plane nodes found.")
@@ -116,11 +116,16 @@ func profileStatus(p *config.Profile, api libmachine.API) string {
 	statuses, err := cluster.GetStatus(api, p.Config)
 	if err != nil {
 		klog.Errorf("error getting statuses: %v", err)
-		return "Unknown"
+		return cluster.State{
+			BaseState: cluster.BaseState{
+				Name:       "Unknown",
+				StatusCode: 520,
+			},
+		}
 	}
 	clusterStatus := cluster.GetState(statuses, ClusterFlagValue(), p.Config)
 
-	return clusterStatus.StatusName
+	return clusterStatus
 }
 
 func renderProfilesTable(ps [][]string) {