diff --git a/cmd/kubeadm/app/cmd/init.go b/cmd/kubeadm/app/cmd/init.go
index 7b68a7446e0..4d1a725ef96 100644
--- a/cmd/kubeadm/app/cmd/init.go
+++ b/cmd/kubeadm/app/cmd/init.go
@@ -149,6 +149,11 @@ func newCmdInit(out io.Writer, initOptions *initOptions) *cobra.Command {
 	// sets the data builder function, that will be used by the runner
 	// both when running the entire workflow or single phases
 	initRunner.SetDataInitializer(func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) (workflow.RunData, error) {
+		if cmd.Flags().Lookup(options.NodeCRISocket) == nil {
+			// avoid CRI detection
+			// assume that the command execution does not depend on CRISocket when --cri-socket flag is not set
+			initOptions.externalInitCfg.NodeRegistration.CRISocket = kubeadmconstants.UnknownCRISocket
+		}
 		data, err := newInitData(cmd, args, initOptions, out)
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, err
diff --git a/cmd/kubeadm/app/cmd/join.go b/cmd/kubeadm/app/cmd/join.go
index 9c668d94c3b..ff43aa4e64f 100644
--- a/cmd/kubeadm/app/cmd/join.go
+++ b/cmd/kubeadm/app/cmd/join.go
@@ -220,6 +220,11 @@ func newCmdJoin(out io.Writer, joinOptions *joinOptions) *cobra.Command {
 	// sets the data builder function, that will be used by the runner
 	// both when running the entire workflow or single phases
 	joinRunner.SetDataInitializer(func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) (workflow.RunData, error) {
+		if cmd.Flags().Lookup(options.NodeCRISocket) == nil {
+			// avoid CRI detection
+			// assume that the command execution does not depend on CRISocket when --cri-socket flag is not set
+			joinOptions.externalcfg.NodeRegistration.CRISocket = kubeadmconstants.UnknownCRISocket
+		}
 		data, err := newJoinData(cmd, args, joinOptions, out, kubeadmconstants.GetAdminKubeConfigPath())
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, err
diff --git a/cmd/kubeadm/app/cmd/phases/init/preflight.go b/cmd/kubeadm/app/cmd/phases/init/preflight.go
index ed6a1758fd6..b34cdfa0e76 100644
--- a/cmd/kubeadm/app/cmd/phases/init/preflight.go
+++ b/cmd/kubeadm/app/cmd/phases/init/preflight.go
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ func NewPreflightPhase() workflow.Phase {
 		Run:     runPreflight,
 		InheritFlags: []string{
 			options.CfgPath,
+			options.NodeCRISocket,
 			options.IgnorePreflightErrors,
 			options.DryRun,
 		},
diff --git a/cmd/kubeadm/app/cmd/phases/init/uploadcerts.go b/cmd/kubeadm/app/cmd/phases/init/uploadcerts.go
index 035420cb1d8..00334fe0b4d 100644
--- a/cmd/kubeadm/app/cmd/phases/init/uploadcerts.go
+++ b/cmd/kubeadm/app/cmd/phases/init/uploadcerts.go
@@ -36,7 +36,6 @@ func NewUploadCertsPhase() workflow.Phase {
 		Run:   runUploadCerts,
 		InheritFlags: []string{
 			options.CfgPath,
-			options.NodeCRISocket,
 			options.KubeconfigPath,
 			options.UploadCerts,
 			options.CertificateKey,
diff --git a/cmd/kubeadm/app/cmd/phases/init/uploadconfig.go b/cmd/kubeadm/app/cmd/phases/init/uploadconfig.go
index 88f31cd964e..c9338f18990 100644
--- a/cmd/kubeadm/app/cmd/phases/init/uploadconfig.go
+++ b/cmd/kubeadm/app/cmd/phases/init/uploadconfig.go
@@ -96,6 +96,7 @@ func NewUploadConfigPhase() workflow.Phase {
 func getUploadConfigPhaseFlags() []string {
 	return []string{
 		options.CfgPath,
+		options.NodeCRISocket,
 		options.KubeconfigPath,
 		options.DryRun,
 	}
diff --git a/cmd/kubeadm/app/cmd/reset.go b/cmd/kubeadm/app/cmd/reset.go
index 7e631136e6b..1efb1183182 100644
--- a/cmd/kubeadm/app/cmd/reset.go
+++ b/cmd/kubeadm/app/cmd/reset.go
@@ -203,6 +203,11 @@ func newCmdReset(in io.Reader, out io.Writer, resetOptions *resetOptions) *cobra
 	// sets the data builder function, that will be used by the runner
 	// both when running the entire workflow or single phases
 	resetRunner.SetDataInitializer(func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) (workflow.RunData, error) {
+		if cmd.Flags().Lookup(options.NodeCRISocket) == nil {
+			// avoid CRI detection
+			// assume that the command execution does not depend on CRISocket when --cri-socket flag is not set
+			resetOptions.criSocketPath = kubeadmconstants.UnknownCRISocket
+		}
 		return newResetData(cmd, resetOptions, in, out)
 	})