diff --git a/lib/workers/repository/dependency-dashboard.spec.ts b/lib/workers/repository/dependency-dashboard.spec.ts
index b71cd8922d592d9df7764476017abbbc99f37eef..62e89f7000d37fce56660bd958d5316368810da0 100644
--- a/lib/workers/repository/dependency-dashboard.spec.ts
+++ b/lib/workers/repository/dependency-dashboard.spec.ts
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ beforeEach(() => {
   config.platform = PLATFORM_TYPE_GITHUB;
   config.errors = [];
   config.warnings = [];
+  delete config.onboarding;
 });
 
 async function dryRun(
diff --git a/lib/workers/repository/dependency-dashboard.ts b/lib/workers/repository/dependency-dashboard.ts
index 9fa1b5e28fcd6422d1ff0cc788de7f2aa1917ac2..e0099578904e8269468beaf0aa7897379cb7d1b2 100644
--- a/lib/workers/repository/dependency-dashboard.ts
+++ b/lib/workers/repository/dependency-dashboard.ts
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@ export async function ensureMasterIssue(
   // legacy/migrated issue
   const reuseTitle = 'Update Dependencies (Renovate Bot)';
   if (
+    config.onboarding ||
     !(
       config.dependencyDashboard ||
       branches.some(