diff --git a/lib/logger/index.js b/lib/logger/index.js
index b0bfea56378deb83f077124a00b11b37b4d59357..34840ad22c5556b58fda1f405e80f52b7529d85a 100644
--- a/lib/logger/index.js
+++ b/lib/logger/index.js
@@ -46,7 +46,8 @@ function initLogger() {
   ];
   logFunctions.forEach(x => {
     global.logger[x] = (p1, p2) => {
-      global.renovateError = global.renovateError || x === 'error';
+      global.renovateError =
+        global.renovateError || x === 'error' || x === 'fatal';
       if (p2) {
         // meta and msg provided
         return bunyanLogger[x]({ ...meta, ...p1 }, p2);