diff --git a/lib/util/git/index.spec.ts b/lib/util/git/index.spec.ts
index de0a8e374265acf0b0df706f4f9c3a9e61624497..592e6c204ae46d671fdf137465eec35a47bf5f76 100644
--- a/lib/util/git/index.spec.ts
+++ b/lib/util/git/index.spec.ts
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@ describe('platform/git', () => {
       gitAuthorName: 'test',
       gitAuthorEmail: 'test@example.com',
     });
+    await git.syncGit();
   });
 
   afterEach(async () => {
diff --git a/lib/util/git/index.ts b/lib/util/git/index.ts
index 9e93484f079338576d4ada75b0daaa2ede11cfe7..6612fb90d1ef5c3215ea484cf627285430c0d1c7 100644
--- a/lib/util/git/index.ts
+++ b/lib/util/git/index.ts
@@ -39,7 +39,6 @@ interface LocalConfig extends StorageConfig {
   baseBranchSha: string;
   branchExists: Record<string, boolean>;
   branchPrefix: string;
-  syncCompleted: boolean;
 }
 
 // istanbul ignore next
@@ -148,10 +147,9 @@ export async function getSubmodules(): Promise<string[]> {
 }
 
 export async function syncGit(): Promise<void> {
-  if (config.syncCompleted) {
+  if (git) {
     return;
   }
-  config.syncCompleted = true;
   logger.debug('Initializing git repository into ' + config.localDir);
   const gitHead = join(config.localDir, '.git/HEAD');
   let clone = true;
@@ -237,6 +235,7 @@ export async function syncGit(): Promise<void> {
 export async function initRepo(args: StorageConfig): Promise<void> {
   config = { ...args } as any;
   config.branchExists = {};
+  git = undefined;
   await syncGit();
 }