diff --git a/lib/config/validation.spec.ts b/lib/config/validation.spec.ts
index 5b5487da984f36bdd41e2ca8ef794adb14bf6a44..5d337956ffbef3d176be8324a6ef66382e91ee05 100644
--- a/lib/config/validation.spec.ts
+++ b/lib/config/validation.spec.ts
@@ -604,6 +604,7 @@ describe(getName(), () => {
     });
     it('warns on nested group packageRules', async () => {
       const config = {
+        extends: ['group:fortawesome'],
         packageRules: [
           {
             automerge: true,
diff --git a/lib/config/validation.ts b/lib/config/validation.ts
index 8e9b086a12a7156d24c989e02cf3c8859b1bb867..93c13065b5d730d15610838fddd5dfc67c4f58c7 100644
--- a/lib/config/validation.ts
+++ b/lib/config/validation.ts
@@ -256,7 +256,10 @@ export async function validateConfig(
               const tzRe = /^:timezone\((.+)\)$/;
               for (const subval of val) {
                 if (is.string(subval)) {
-                  if (subval.startsWith('group:')) {
+                  if (
+                    parentName === 'packageRules' &&
+                    subval.startsWith('group:')
+                  ) {
                     warnings.push({
                       topic: 'Configuration Warning',
                       message: `${currentPath}: you should not extend "group:" presets`,