diff --git a/lib/workers/repository/index.js b/lib/workers/repository/index.js
index 83e1c094195a0783e8525398cd3d0f29211f7a65..3969b24ff63cacf60e21bfde5cab1171b6522a70 100644
--- a/lib/workers/repository/index.js
+++ b/lib/workers/repository/index.js
@@ -26,7 +26,9 @@ async function renovateRepository(repoConfig) {
       config
     );
     await ensureOnboardingPr(config, packageFiles, branches);
-    await ensureMasterIssue(config, branches);
+    if (res !== 'automerged') {
+      await ensureMasterIssue(config, branches);
+    }
     await finaliseRepo(config, branchList);
     repoResult = processResult(config, res);
   } catch (err) /* istanbul ignore next */ {