diff --git a/docs/usage/configuration-options.md b/docs/usage/configuration-options.md
index 5449af59ea4edddeb3e33a874e16c189d1621509..dde6ef708cf20f644df89f34cfd75c1b1645b934 100644
--- a/docs/usage/configuration-options.md
+++ b/docs/usage/configuration-options.md
@@ -1040,6 +1040,18 @@ If you wish for Renovate to process only select paths in the repository, use `in
 Alternatively, if you need to just _exclude_ certain paths in the repository then consider `ignorePaths` instead.
 If you are more interested in including only certain package managers (e.g. `npm`), then consider `enabledManagers` instead.
 
+## internalChecksFilter
+
+This setting determines whether Renovate controls when and how filtering of internal checks are performed, particularly when multiple versions of the same update type are available.
+Currently this applies to the `stabilityDays` check only.
+
+- `none`: No filtering will be performed, and the highest release will be used regardless of whether it's pending or not
+- `strict`: All pending releases will be filtered. PRs will be skipped unless a non-pending version is available
+- `flexible`: Similar to strict, but in the case where all versions are pending then a PR will be created with the highest pending version
+
+The `flexible` mode can result in "flapping" of Pull Requests, where e.g. a pending PR with version `1.0.3` is first released but then downgraded to `1.0.2` once it passes `stabilityDays`.
+We recommend that you use the `strict` mode, and enable the `dependencyDashboard` so that you have visibility into suppressed PRs.
+
 ## java
 
 Use this configuration option for shared config across all java projects (Gradle and Maven).
diff --git a/lib/config/definitions.ts b/lib/config/definitions.ts
index b57e37c96d29ef4cbe964702816f52774647c4e8..b117c02b7f37adadcb7ab30ec07e46fe27f56774 100644
--- a/lib/config/definitions.ts
+++ b/lib/config/definitions.ts
@@ -1185,6 +1185,13 @@ const options: RenovateOptions[] = [
     type: 'integer',
     default: 0,
   },
+  {
+    name: 'internalChecksFilter',
+    description: 'When/how to filter based on internal checks.',
+    type: 'string',
+    allowedValues: ['strict', 'flexible', 'none'],
+    default: 'none',
+  },
   {
     name: 'prCreation',
     description: 'When to create the PR for a branch.',
diff --git a/lib/manager/types.ts b/lib/manager/types.ts
index 5cccc8a481b3ab19ab367cb3f1fb57ab28e508b0..6d91ac48863a99fafa08ef278f0b65858554d28d 100644
--- a/lib/manager/types.ts
+++ b/lib/manager/types.ts
@@ -146,6 +146,8 @@ export interface LookupUpdate {
   newMinor?: number;
   newValue: string;
   semanticCommitType?: string;
+  pendingChecks?: string[];
+  pendingVersions?: string[];
   newVersion?: string;
   updateType?: UpdateType;
 }
diff --git a/lib/workers/branch/__snapshots__/index.spec.ts.snap b/lib/workers/branch/__snapshots__/index.spec.ts.snap
index ea2f5e0d5133ede7a3aad8222e816b222623dd3d..596958e7a2ec4aff9422410fec6da2465a5a3308 100644
--- a/lib/workers/branch/__snapshots__/index.spec.ts.snap
+++ b/lib/workers/branch/__snapshots__/index.spec.ts.snap
@@ -119,6 +119,13 @@ Object {
 }
 `;
 
+exports[`workers/branch/index processBranch returns if pending checks 1`] = `
+Object {
+  "branchExists": false,
+  "result": "pending",
+}
+`;
+
 exports[`workers/branch/index processBranch returns if pr creation limit exceeded and branch exists 1`] = `
 Object {
   "branchExists": true,
diff --git a/lib/workers/branch/index.spec.ts b/lib/workers/branch/index.spec.ts
index 32db6ec90183a0b3dc0264f57c3d1463bb4b1d30..d14c901d568b827727ccf66b1ee933bde6ab1303 100644
--- a/lib/workers/branch/index.spec.ts
+++ b/lib/workers/branch/index.spec.ts
@@ -324,6 +324,19 @@ describe(getName(), () => {
       commit.commitFilesToBranch.mockResolvedValueOnce(null);
       expect(await branchWorker.processBranch(config)).toMatchSnapshot();
     });
+
+    it('returns if pending checks', async () => {
+      getUpdated.getUpdatedPackageFiles.mockResolvedValueOnce({
+        ...updatedPackageFiles,
+      });
+      npmPostExtract.getAdditionalFiles.mockResolvedValueOnce({
+        artifactErrors: [],
+        updatedArtifacts: [],
+      });
+      config.pendingChecks = ['stabilityDays'];
+      expect(await branchWorker.processBranch(config)).toMatchSnapshot();
+    });
+
     it('returns if branch automerged', async () => {
       getUpdated.getUpdatedPackageFiles.mockResolvedValueOnce({
         updatedPackageFiles: [{}],
diff --git a/lib/workers/branch/index.ts b/lib/workers/branch/index.ts
index 57a65497554671ee289ce9b18802dc8f8782f0d0..36b8199c2f71571e73757fc27a33aff2398977b4 100644
--- a/lib/workers/branch/index.ts
+++ b/lib/workers/branch/index.ts
@@ -120,6 +120,13 @@ export async function processBranch(
       logger.debug('Reached commits limit - skipping branch');
       return { branchExists, result: BranchResult.CommitLimitReached };
     }
+    if (
+      !branchExists &&
+      branchConfig.pendingChecks &&
+      !dependencyDashboardCheck
+    ) {
+      return { branchExists: false, result: BranchResult.Pending };
+    }
     if (branchExists) {
       logger.debug('Checking if PR has been edited');
       const branchIsModified = await isBranchModified(config.branchName);
diff --git a/lib/workers/repository/process/lookup/__snapshots__/filter-checks.spec.ts.snap b/lib/workers/repository/process/lookup/__snapshots__/filter-checks.spec.ts.snap
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..f272e20082924a592e79f9b8a5f36ff266de654a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/workers/repository/process/lookup/__snapshots__/filter-checks.spec.ts.snap
@@ -0,0 +1,103 @@
+// Jest Snapshot v1, https://goo.gl/fbAQLP
+
+exports[`workers/repository/process/lookup/filter-checks .filterInternalChecks() picks up stabilityDays settings from hostRules 1`] = `
+Object {
+  "pendingChecks": Array [],
+  "pendingReleases": Array [],
+  "release": Object {
+    "releaseTimestamp": "2021-01-07T00:00:00.000Z",
+    "version": "1.0.4",
+  },
+}
+`;
+
+exports[`workers/repository/process/lookup/filter-checks .filterInternalChecks() picks up stabilityDays settings from updateType 1`] = `
+Object {
+  "pendingChecks": Array [],
+  "pendingReleases": Array [
+    Object {
+      "releaseTimestamp": "2021-01-07T00:00:00.000Z",
+      "version": "1.0.4",
+    },
+  ],
+  "release": Object {
+    "releaseTimestamp": "2021-01-05T00:00:00.000Z",
+    "version": "1.0.3",
+  },
+}
+`;
+
+exports[`workers/repository/process/lookup/filter-checks .filterInternalChecks() returns latest release if internalChecksFilter=none 1`] = `
+Object {
+  "pendingChecks": Array [],
+  "pendingReleases": Array [],
+  "release": Object {
+    "releaseTimestamp": "2021-01-07T00:00:00.000Z",
+    "version": "1.0.4",
+  },
+}
+`;
+
+exports[`workers/repository/process/lookup/filter-checks .filterInternalChecks() returns non-latest release if internalChecksFilter=flexible and some pass checks 1`] = `
+Object {
+  "pendingChecks": Array [],
+  "pendingReleases": Array [
+    Object {
+      "releaseTimestamp": "2021-01-05T00:00:00.000Z",
+      "version": "1.0.3",
+    },
+    Object {
+      "releaseTimestamp": "2021-01-07T00:00:00.000Z",
+      "version": "1.0.4",
+    },
+  ],
+  "release": Object {
+    "releaseTimestamp": "2021-01-03T00:00:00.000Z",
+    "version": "1.0.2",
+  },
+}
+`;
+
+exports[`workers/repository/process/lookup/filter-checks .filterInternalChecks() returns non-latest release if internalChecksFilter=strict and some pass checks 1`] = `
+Object {
+  "pendingChecks": Array [],
+  "pendingReleases": Array [
+    Object {
+      "releaseTimestamp": "2021-01-05T00:00:00.000Z",
+      "version": "1.0.3",
+    },
+    Object {
+      "releaseTimestamp": "2021-01-07T00:00:00.000Z",
+      "version": "1.0.4",
+    },
+  ],
+  "release": Object {
+    "releaseTimestamp": "2021-01-03T00:00:00.000Z",
+    "version": "1.0.2",
+  },
+}
+`;
+
+exports[`workers/repository/process/lookup/filter-checks .filterInternalChecks() returns non-pending latest release if internalChecksFilter=flexible and none pass checks 1`] = `
+Object {
+  "pendingChecks": Array [],
+  "pendingReleases": Array [],
+  "release": Object {
+    "releaseTimestamp": "2021-01-07T00:00:00.000Z",
+    "version": "1.0.4",
+  },
+}
+`;
+
+exports[`workers/repository/process/lookup/filter-checks .filterInternalChecks() returns pending latest release if internalChecksFilter=strict and none pass checks 1`] = `
+Object {
+  "pendingChecks": Array [
+    "stabilityDays",
+  ],
+  "pendingReleases": Array [],
+  "release": Object {
+    "releaseTimestamp": "2021-01-07T00:00:00.000Z",
+    "version": "1.0.4",
+  },
+}
+`;
diff --git a/lib/workers/repository/process/lookup/filter-checks.spec.ts b/lib/workers/repository/process/lookup/filter-checks.spec.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..3299a12d68c6092d0b006515f5fca7fe14294bd8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/workers/repository/process/lookup/filter-checks.spec.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,154 @@
+import { getConfig, getName, mocked } from '../../../../../test/util';
+import type { Release } from '../../../../datasource';
+import { clone } from '../../../../util/clone';
+import * as _dateUtil from '../../../../util/date';
+import * as allVersioning from '../../../../versioning';
+import { filterInternalChecks } from './filter-checks';
+import type { LookupUpdateConfig, UpdateResult } from './types';
+
+jest.mock('../../../../util/date');
+
+const dateUtil = mocked(_dateUtil);
+
+let config: Partial<LookupUpdateConfig & UpdateResult>;
+
+const versioning = allVersioning.get('semver');
+
+const releases: Release[] = [
+  {
+    version: '1.0.1',
+    releaseTimestamp: '2021-01-01T00:00:01.000Z',
+  },
+  {
+    version: '1.0.2',
+    releaseTimestamp: '2021-01-03T00:00:00.000Z',
+  },
+  {
+    version: '1.0.3',
+    releaseTimestamp: '2021-01-05T00:00:00.000Z',
+  },
+  {
+    version: '1.0.4',
+    releaseTimestamp: '2021-01-07T00:00:00.000Z',
+  },
+];
+
+describe(getName(), () => {
+  let sortedReleases: Release[];
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    config = getConfig();
+    config.currentVersion = '1.0.0';
+    sortedReleases = clone(releases);
+    jest.resetAllMocks();
+    dateUtil.getElapsedDays.mockReturnValueOnce(3);
+    dateUtil.getElapsedDays.mockReturnValueOnce(5);
+    dateUtil.getElapsedDays.mockReturnValueOnce(7);
+    dateUtil.getElapsedDays.mockReturnValueOnce(9);
+  });
+
+  describe('.filterInternalChecks()', () => {
+    it('returns latest release if internalChecksFilter=none', () => {
+      const res = filterInternalChecks(
+        config,
+        versioning,
+        'patch',
+        sortedReleases
+      );
+      expect(res).toMatchSnapshot();
+      expect(res.pendingChecks).toHaveLength(0);
+      expect(res.pendingReleases).toHaveLength(0);
+      expect(res.release.version).toEqual('1.0.4');
+    });
+
+    it('returns non-pending latest release if internalChecksFilter=flexible and none pass checks', () => {
+      config.internalChecksFilter = 'flexible';
+      config.stabilityDays = 10;
+      const res = filterInternalChecks(
+        config,
+        versioning,
+        'patch',
+        sortedReleases
+      );
+      expect(res).toMatchSnapshot();
+      expect(res.pendingChecks).toHaveLength(0);
+      expect(res.pendingReleases).toHaveLength(0);
+      expect(res.release.version).toEqual('1.0.4');
+    });
+
+    it('returns pending latest release if internalChecksFilter=strict and none pass checks', () => {
+      config.internalChecksFilter = 'strict';
+      config.stabilityDays = 10;
+      const res = filterInternalChecks(
+        config,
+        versioning,
+        'patch',
+        sortedReleases
+      );
+      expect(res).toMatchSnapshot();
+      expect(res.pendingChecks).toHaveLength(1);
+      expect(res.pendingReleases).toHaveLength(0);
+      expect(res.release.version).toEqual('1.0.4');
+    });
+
+    it('returns non-latest release if internalChecksFilter=strict and some pass checks', () => {
+      config.internalChecksFilter = 'strict';
+      config.stabilityDays = 6;
+      const res = filterInternalChecks(
+        config,
+        versioning,
+        'patch',
+        sortedReleases
+      );
+      expect(res).toMatchSnapshot();
+      expect(res.pendingChecks).toHaveLength(0);
+      expect(res.pendingReleases).toHaveLength(2);
+      expect(res.release.version).toEqual('1.0.2');
+    });
+
+    it('returns non-latest release if internalChecksFilter=flexible and some pass checks', () => {
+      config.internalChecksFilter = 'strict';
+      config.stabilityDays = 6;
+      const res = filterInternalChecks(
+        config,
+        versioning,
+        'patch',
+        sortedReleases
+      );
+      expect(res).toMatchSnapshot();
+      expect(res.pendingChecks).toHaveLength(0);
+      expect(res.pendingReleases).toHaveLength(2);
+      expect(res.release.version).toEqual('1.0.2');
+    });
+
+    it('picks up stabilityDays settings from hostRules', () => {
+      config.internalChecksFilter = 'strict';
+      config.stabilityDays = 6;
+      config.packageRules = [{ matchUpdateTypes: ['patch'], stabilityDays: 1 }];
+      const res = filterInternalChecks(
+        config,
+        versioning,
+        'patch',
+        sortedReleases
+      );
+      expect(res).toMatchSnapshot();
+      expect(res.pendingChecks).toHaveLength(0);
+      expect(res.pendingReleases).toHaveLength(0);
+      expect(res.release.version).toEqual('1.0.4');
+    });
+
+    it('picks up stabilityDays settings from updateType', () => {
+      config.internalChecksFilter = 'strict';
+      config.patch = { stabilityDays: 4 };
+      const res = filterInternalChecks(
+        config,
+        versioning,
+        'patch',
+        sortedReleases
+      );
+      expect(res).toMatchSnapshot();
+      expect(res.pendingChecks).toHaveLength(0);
+      expect(res.pendingReleases).toHaveLength(1);
+      expect(res.release.version).toEqual('1.0.3');
+    });
+  });
+});
diff --git a/lib/workers/repository/process/lookup/filter-checks.ts b/lib/workers/repository/process/lookup/filter-checks.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..f850c691b5b127e7b059dff2f4d72a32f3a2cfd1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/workers/repository/process/lookup/filter-checks.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,81 @@
+import is from '@sindresorhus/is';
+import { mergeChildConfig } from '../../../../config';
+import type { Release } from '../../../../datasource';
+import { logger } from '../../../../logger';
+import { getElapsedDays } from '../../../../util/date';
+import { applyPackageRules } from '../../../../util/package-rules';
+import type { VersioningApi } from '../../../../versioning';
+import type { LookupUpdateConfig, UpdateResult } from './types';
+import { getUpdateType } from './update-type';
+
+export interface InternalChecksResult {
+  release: Release;
+  pendingChecks?: string[];
+  pendingReleases?: Release[];
+}
+
+export function filterInternalChecks(
+  config: Partial<LookupUpdateConfig & UpdateResult>,
+  versioning: VersioningApi,
+  bucket: string,
+  sortedReleases: Release[]
+): InternalChecksResult {
+  const { currentVersion, depName, internalChecksFilter } = config;
+  let release: Release;
+  const pendingChecks: string[] = [];
+  let pendingReleases: Release[] = [];
+  if (internalChecksFilter === 'none') {
+    // Don't care if stabilityDays are unmet
+    release = sortedReleases.pop();
+  } else {
+    // iterate through releases from highest to lowest, looking for the first which will pass checks if present
+    for (const candidateRelease of sortedReleases.reverse()) {
+      // merge the release data into dependency config
+      let releaseConfig = mergeChildConfig(config, candidateRelease);
+      // calculate updateType and then apply it
+      releaseConfig.updateType = getUpdateType(
+        releaseConfig,
+        versioning,
+        currentVersion,
+        candidateRelease.version
+      );
+      releaseConfig = mergeChildConfig(
+        releaseConfig,
+        releaseConfig[releaseConfig.updateType]
+      );
+      // Apply packageRules in case any apply to updateType
+      releaseConfig = applyPackageRules(releaseConfig);
+      // Now check for a stabilityDays config
+      const { stabilityDays, releaseTimestamp } = releaseConfig;
+      if (is.integer(stabilityDays) && releaseTimestamp) {
+        if (getElapsedDays(releaseTimestamp) < stabilityDays) {
+          // Skip it if it doesn't pass checks
+          logger.debug(
+            `Release ${candidateRelease.version} is pending status checks`
+          );
+          pendingReleases.unshift(candidateRelease);
+          continue; // eslint-disable-line no-continue
+        }
+      }
+      // If we get to here, then the release is OK and we can stop iterating
+      release = candidateRelease;
+      break;
+    }
+    if (!release) {
+      if (pendingReleases.length) {
+        // If all releases were pending then just take the highest
+        logger.debug(
+          { depName, bucket },
+          'All releases are pending - using latest'
+        );
+        release = pendingReleases.pop();
+        // None are pending anymore because we took the latest, so empty the array
+        pendingReleases = [];
+        if (internalChecksFilter === 'strict') {
+          pendingChecks.push('stabilityDays');
+        }
+      }
+    }
+  }
+  return { release, pendingChecks, pendingReleases };
+}
diff --git a/lib/workers/repository/process/lookup/index.spec.ts b/lib/workers/repository/process/lookup/index.spec.ts
index 02e887e6c2e54ae428c4a6b9af198e693b455dac..352a2233e56480b13273a3e44cb72ee841817dd0 100644
--- a/lib/workers/repository/process/lookup/index.spec.ts
+++ b/lib/workers/repository/process/lookup/index.spec.ts
@@ -656,6 +656,69 @@ describe(getName(), () => {
       });
       expect((await lookup.lookupUpdates(config)).updates).toMatchSnapshot();
     });
+
+    it('should return pendingChecks', async () => {
+      config.currentValue = '1.4.4';
+      config.depName = 'some/action';
+      config.datasource = datasourceGithubReleases.id;
+      config.stabilityDays = 14;
+      config.internalChecksFilter = 'strict';
+      const yesterday = new Date();
+      yesterday.setDate(yesterday.getDate() - 1);
+      const lastWeek = new Date();
+      lastWeek.setDate(lastWeek.getDate() - 7);
+      githubReleases.getReleases.mockResolvedValueOnce({
+        releases: [
+          {
+            version: '1.4.4',
+          },
+          {
+            version: '1.4.5',
+            releaseTimestamp: lastWeek.toISOString(),
+          },
+          {
+            version: '1.4.6',
+            releaseTimestamp: yesterday.toISOString(),
+          },
+        ],
+      });
+      const res = await lookup.lookupUpdates(config);
+      expect(res.updates).toHaveLength(1);
+      expect(res.updates[0].newVersion).toEqual('1.4.6');
+      expect(res.updates[0].pendingChecks).toHaveLength(1);
+    });
+
+    it('should return pendingVersions', async () => {
+      config.currentValue = '1.4.4';
+      config.depName = 'some/action';
+      config.datasource = datasourceGithubReleases.id;
+      config.stabilityDays = 3;
+      config.internalChecksFilter = 'strict';
+      const yesterday = new Date();
+      yesterday.setDate(yesterday.getDate() - 1);
+      const lastWeek = new Date();
+      lastWeek.setDate(lastWeek.getDate() - 7);
+      githubReleases.getReleases.mockResolvedValueOnce({
+        releases: [
+          {
+            version: '1.4.4',
+          },
+          {
+            version: '1.4.5',
+            releaseTimestamp: lastWeek.toISOString(),
+          },
+          {
+            version: '1.4.6',
+            releaseTimestamp: yesterday.toISOString(),
+          },
+        ],
+      });
+      const res = await lookup.lookupUpdates(config);
+      expect(res.updates).toHaveLength(1);
+      expect(res.updates[0].newVersion).toEqual('1.4.5');
+      expect(res.updates[0].pendingVersions).toHaveLength(1);
+    });
+
     it('should allow unstable versions if the ignoreUnstable=false', async () => {
       config.currentValue = '2.5.16';
       config.ignoreUnstable = false;
diff --git a/lib/workers/repository/process/lookup/index.ts b/lib/workers/repository/process/lookup/index.ts
index 75402e771703685fb167bf126ab9ee91388f675e..589d923c9a6a92aec4ade6b31e5d80b1a9cbe733 100644
--- a/lib/workers/repository/process/lookup/index.ts
+++ b/lib/workers/repository/process/lookup/index.ts
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import { mergeChildConfig } from '../../../../config';
 import type { ValidationMessage } from '../../../../config/types';
 import {
   Release,
@@ -17,6 +18,7 @@ import * as allVersioning from '../../../../versioning';
 import { getBucket } from './bucket';
 import { getCurrentVersion } from './current';
 import { filterVersions } from './filter';
+import { filterInternalChecks } from './filter-checks';
 import { generateUpdate } from './generate';
 import { getRollbackUpdate } from './rollback';
 import type { LookupUpdateConfig, UpdateResult } from './types';
@@ -201,11 +203,21 @@ export async function lookupUpdates(
         buckets[bucket] = [release];
       }
     }
+    const depResultConfig = mergeChildConfig(config, res);
     for (const [bucket, releases] of Object.entries(buckets)) {
       const sortedReleases = releases.sort((r1, r2) =>
         versioning.sortVersions(r1.version, r2.version)
       );
-      const release = sortedReleases.pop();
+      const { release, pendingChecks, pendingReleases } = filterInternalChecks(
+        depResultConfig,
+        versioning,
+        bucket,
+        sortedReleases
+      );
+      // istanbul ignore next
+      if (!release) {
+        return res;
+      }
       const newVersion = release.version;
       const update = generateUpdate(
         config,
@@ -214,6 +226,12 @@ export async function lookupUpdates(
         bucket,
         release
       );
+      if (pendingChecks.length) {
+        update.pendingChecks = pendingChecks;
+      }
+      if (pendingReleases.length) {
+        update.pendingVersions = pendingReleases.map((r) => r.version);
+      }
       if (!update.newValue || update.newValue === currentValue) {
         if (!lockedVersion) {
           continue; // eslint-disable-line no-continue