diff --git a/lib/util/git/index.ts b/lib/util/git/index.ts
index 365b2beaed444b8bfaf316f5f1406139df346237..33fc5cf43045cd935e16806523f54c6f9c5f17c8 100644
--- a/lib/util/git/index.ts
+++ b/lib/util/git/index.ts
@@ -426,6 +426,8 @@ export async function syncGit(): Promise<void> {
       const emptyDirAndClone = async (): Promise<void> => {
         await fs.emptyDir(localDir);
         await git.clone(config.url, '.', opts);
+        // unset hooks to avoid post-checkout hooks, etc.
+        await git.raw(['config', '--unset', 'core.hooksPath']);
       };
       await gitRetry(() => emptyDirAndClone());
     } catch (err) /* istanbul ignore next */ {