diff --git a/lib/workers/repository/update/branch/check-existing.spec.ts b/lib/workers/repository/update/branch/check-existing.spec.ts
index c1f219f22aea3944162f7aab68a0ab35f5f656a5..a26f611cbca2585f911751aa1e888ba5d2a63634 100644
--- a/lib/workers/repository/update/branch/check-existing.spec.ts
+++ b/lib/workers/repository/update/branch/check-existing.spec.ts
@@ -20,13 +20,13 @@ describe('workers/repository/update/branch/check-existing', () => {
     });
 
     it('returns false if recreating closed PRs', async () => {
-      config.recreateWhen = 'always';
+      config.recreateClosed = true;
       expect(await prAlreadyExisted(config)).toBeNull();
       expect(platform.findPr).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(0);
     });
 
     it('returns false if check misses', async () => {
-      config.recreateWhen = 'auto';
+      config.recreateClosed = false;
       expect(await prAlreadyExisted(config)).toBeNull();
       expect(platform.findPr).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
     });
diff --git a/lib/workers/repository/update/branch/check-existing.ts b/lib/workers/repository/update/branch/check-existing.ts
index c0fdba11548862995ff25531e86ca1d4ee313c9b..e0c2bae0f722aa46ae8331e94106866184fe15c0 100644
--- a/lib/workers/repository/update/branch/check-existing.ts
+++ b/lib/workers/repository/update/branch/check-existing.ts
@@ -8,8 +8,8 @@ export async function prAlreadyExisted(
   config: BranchConfig
 ): Promise<Pr | null> {
   logger.trace({ config }, 'prAlreadyExisted');
-  if (config.recreateWhen === 'always') {
-    logger.debug('recreateWhen is "always". No need to check for closed PR.');
+  if (config.recreateClosed) {
+    logger.debug('recreateClosed is true. No need to check for closed PR.');
     return null;
   }
   logger.debug(