diff --git a/lib/platform/bitbucket/index.js b/lib/platform/bitbucket/index.js
index b849251f6f8857c35f78bcead1e4c95512481791..a9c8256cb93db760febf59ea753039b8fee0a39d 100644
--- a/lib/platform/bitbucket/index.js
+++ b/lib/platform/bitbucket/index.js
@@ -533,8 +533,9 @@ async function getPr(prNo) {
       res.canRebase = true;
     }
   }
-
-  res.isStale = await isBranchStale(pr.source.branch.name);
+  if (await branchExists(pr.source.branch.name)) {
+    res.isStale = await isBranchStale(pr.source.branch.name);
+  }
 
   return res;
 }