diff --git a/lib/config/definitions.js b/lib/config/definitions.js
index b15de71a5a3bb8d015934602c9d37c164955e452..b8fe8ab02d05a1512ece605b40a31e167e058e32 100644
--- a/lib/config/definitions.js
+++ b/lib/config/definitions.js
@@ -545,9 +545,7 @@ const options = [
       'Configuration to apply when an update type is patch. Only applies if `separateMinorPatch` is set to true',
     stage: 'package',
     type: 'json',
-    default: {
-      branchTopic: '{{{depNameSanitized}}}-{{{newMajor}}}.{{{newMinor}}}.x',
-    },
+    default: {},
     cli: false,
     mergeable: true,
   },
@@ -702,7 +700,8 @@ const options = [
     name: 'branchTopic',
     description: 'Branch topic',
     type: 'string',
-    default: '{{{depNameSanitized}}}-{{{newMajor}}}.x',
+    default:
+      '{{{depNameSanitized}}}-{{{newMajor}}}{{#if isPatch}}.{{{newMinor}}}{{/if}}.x',
     cli: false,
   },
   {
diff --git a/test/workers/repository/updates/__snapshots__/flatten.spec.js.snap b/test/workers/repository/updates/__snapshots__/flatten.spec.js.snap
index 31fba8dbab3f57a7b31cf98ac4aa9cda89e64c9c..b95e7af35d724dfa462d9ad26727cf4facf15cf8 100644
--- a/test/workers/repository/updates/__snapshots__/flatten.spec.js.snap
+++ b/test/workers/repository/updates/__snapshots__/flatten.spec.js.snap
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ Array [
     "automergeType": "pr",
     "branchName": "{{{branchPrefix}}}{{{managerBranchPrefix}}}{{{branchTopic}}}",
     "branchPrefix": "renovate/",
-    "branchTopic": "{{{depNameSanitized}}}-{{{newMajor}}}.x",
+    "branchTopic": "{{{depNameSanitized}}}-{{{newMajor}}}{{#if isPatch}}.{{{newMinor}}}{{/if}}.x",
     "bumpVersion": null,
     "commitBody": null,
     "commitMessage": "{{{commitMessagePrefix}}} {{{commitMessageAction}}} {{{commitMessageTopic}}} {{{commitMessageExtra}}} {{{commitMessageSuffix}}}",
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ Array [
     "automergeType": "pr",
     "branchName": "{{{branchPrefix}}}{{{managerBranchPrefix}}}{{{branchTopic}}}",
     "branchPrefix": "renovate/",
-    "branchTopic": "{{{depNameSanitized}}}-{{{newMajor}}}.x",
+    "branchTopic": "{{{depNameSanitized}}}-{{{newMajor}}}{{#if isPatch}}.{{{newMinor}}}{{/if}}.x",
     "bumpVersion": null,
     "commitBody": null,
     "commitMessage": "{{{commitMessagePrefix}}} {{{commitMessageAction}}} {{{commitMessageTopic}}} {{{commitMessageExtra}}} {{{commitMessageSuffix}}}",
@@ -226,7 +226,7 @@ Array [
     "automergeType": "pr",
     "branchName": "{{{branchPrefix}}}{{{managerBranchPrefix}}}{{{branchTopic}}}",
     "branchPrefix": "renovate/",
-    "branchTopic": "{{{depNameSanitized}}}-{{{newMajor}}}.x",
+    "branchTopic": "{{{depNameSanitized}}}-{{{newMajor}}}{{#if isPatch}}.{{{newMinor}}}{{/if}}.x",
     "bumpVersion": null,
     "commitBody": null,
     "commitMessage": "{{{commitMessagePrefix}}} {{{commitMessageAction}}} {{{commitMessageTopic}}} {{{commitMessageExtra}}} {{{commitMessageSuffix}}}",