diff --git a/lib/workers/repository/process/fetch.ts b/lib/workers/repository/process/fetch.ts
index abd782c12bdc0cf6a55ea5caab4dd75150411f1b..9312db1dfe868006b4d106204b1b4dc43cf6183f 100644
--- a/lib/workers/repository/process/fetch.ts
+++ b/lib/workers/repository/process/fetch.ts
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ async function fetchDepUpdates(
     } else {
       dep.updates = await getPackageUpdates(manager, depConfig);
     }
+    dep.updates = dep.updates || [];
     // istanbul ignore if
     if (dep.updates.length) {
       logger.trace(