diff --git a/lib/platform/bitbucket-server/index.ts b/lib/platform/bitbucket-server/index.ts
index a8c6ada2b888707cd621506949bd37c42d23aa00..f86ff62d0628cd6c4e75574b4df0847e17cb7ff4 100644
--- a/lib/platform/bitbucket-server/index.ts
+++ b/lib/platform/bitbucket-server/index.ts
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import { RenovateConfig } from '../../config/common';
 import {
   REPOSITORY_CHANGED,
   REPOSITORY_DISABLED,
+  REPOSITORY_EMPTY,
   REPOSITORY_NOT_FOUND,
 } from '../../constants/error-messages';
 import { PLATFORM_TYPE_BITBUCKET_SERVER } from '../../constants/platforms';
@@ -213,6 +214,9 @@ export async function initRepo({
     if (err.statusCode === 404) {
       throw new Error(REPOSITORY_NOT_FOUND);
     }
+    if (err.statusCode === 204) {
+      throw new Error(REPOSITORY_EMPTY);
+    }
     logger.debug({ err }, 'Unknown Bitbucket initRepo error');
     throw err;
   }