diff --git a/lib/platform/azure/index.spec.ts b/lib/platform/azure/index.spec.ts
index 3b464d06980701d1de1ce2eafbb883ce19d94a1d..878668f1cf779dc0d4963b5655802ee11d8eff79 100644
--- a/lib/platform/azure/index.spec.ts
+++ b/lib/platform/azure/index.spec.ts
@@ -500,6 +500,7 @@ describe('platform/azure', () => {
       );
       const pr = await azure.createPr({
         branchName: 'some-branch',
+        targetBranch: 'master',
         prTitle: 'The Title',
         prBody: 'Hello world',
         labels: ['deps', 'renovate'],
@@ -528,6 +529,7 @@ describe('platform/azure', () => {
       );
       const pr = await azure.createPr({
         branchName: 'some-branch',
+        targetBranch: 'master',
         prTitle: 'The Title',
         prBody: 'Hello world',
         labels: ['deps', 'renovate'],
diff --git a/lib/platform/azure/index.ts b/lib/platform/azure/index.ts
index 1c500fc994cef4b26b7622e2dd50428f6ddfa1c1..184fb10ad7d05ee5fa29f05890b49a891e99bb3b 100644
--- a/lib/platform/azure/index.ts
+++ b/lib/platform/azure/index.ts
@@ -336,7 +336,7 @@ export async function getBranchStatus(
 
 export async function createPr({
   branchName,
-  targetBranch = config.defaultBranch,
+  targetBranch,
   prTitle: title,
   prBody: body,
   labels,
diff --git a/lib/platform/bitbucket-server/index.spec.ts b/lib/platform/bitbucket-server/index.spec.ts
index 697d935904afc5620d89a76d5a2531549ae26f26..062e4976bb95c72eaf0d82f8ad5f19e96909ffc3 100644
--- a/lib/platform/bitbucket-server/index.spec.ts
+++ b/lib/platform/bitbucket-server/index.spec.ts
@@ -1119,6 +1119,7 @@ describe(getName(__filename), () => {
 
           const { number: id } = await bitbucket.createPr({
             branchName: 'branch',
+            targetBranch: 'master',
             prTitle: 'title',
             prBody: 'body',
           });
@@ -1142,6 +1143,7 @@ describe(getName(__filename), () => {
 
           const { number: id } = await bitbucket.createPr({
             branchName: 'branch',
+            targetBranch: 'master',
             prTitle: 'title',
             prBody: 'body',
             labels: null,
diff --git a/lib/platform/bitbucket-server/index.ts b/lib/platform/bitbucket-server/index.ts
index 813e9ee45b0a58c1c597beb142a27e86684890e4..e407724c298742baae792ab91f65507452785586 100644
--- a/lib/platform/bitbucket-server/index.ts
+++ b/lib/platform/bitbucket-server/index.ts
@@ -794,7 +794,7 @@ const escapeHash = (input: string): string =>
 
 export async function createPr({
   branchName,
-  targetBranch = config.defaultBranch,
+  targetBranch,
   prTitle: title,
   prBody: rawDescription,
 }: CreatePRConfig): Promise<Pr> {
diff --git a/lib/platform/bitbucket/index.spec.ts b/lib/platform/bitbucket/index.spec.ts
index e33c5a82fb561d7107fa96ed2dcca5ad68b7d7f8..04a7878af3fa6c62e9e13f66072d1e996c4a060f 100644
--- a/lib/platform/bitbucket/index.spec.ts
+++ b/lib/platform/bitbucket/index.spec.ts
@@ -681,6 +681,7 @@ describe('platform/bitbucket', () => {
         .reply(200, { id: 5 });
       const { number } = await bitbucket.createPr({
         branchName: 'branch',
+        targetBranch: 'master',
         prTitle: 'title',
         prBody: 'body',
       });
diff --git a/lib/platform/bitbucket/index.ts b/lib/platform/bitbucket/index.ts
index 7b6583568e0f88ff3848352c10ce2f97a912043c..65ee99b9c22cdc2719b7c973dbc576bf1b16aa49 100644
--- a/lib/platform/bitbucket/index.ts
+++ b/lib/platform/bitbucket/index.ts
@@ -658,7 +658,7 @@ export function ensureCommentRemoval({
 // Creates PR and returns PR number
 export async function createPr({
   branchName,
-  targetBranch = config.defaultBranch,
+  targetBranch,
   prTitle: title,
   prBody: description,
 }: CreatePRConfig): Promise<Pr> {
diff --git a/lib/platform/common.ts b/lib/platform/common.ts
index d154ddf2059747ba9503143f67e734843611d13c..3cd74377554ed432be1159039f0e5c906f1c9ad8 100644
--- a/lib/platform/common.ts
+++ b/lib/platform/common.ts
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ export type PlatformPrOptions = {
 };
 export interface CreatePRConfig {
   branchName: string;
-  targetBranch?: string;
+  targetBranch: string;
   prTitle: string;
   prBody: string;
   labels?: string[] | null;
diff --git a/lib/platform/gitea/index.spec.ts b/lib/platform/gitea/index.spec.ts
index a03e2c7f396eb05dcacaf85f94a7a0d97f4c89be..7d7cb2fe19d40887986876c43b6feeee8bbd0178 100644
--- a/lib/platform/gitea/index.spec.ts
+++ b/lib/platform/gitea/index.spec.ts
@@ -716,6 +716,7 @@ describe('platform/gitea', () => {
       await gitea.setBaseBranch('devel');
       const res = await gitea.createPr({
         branchName: mockNewPR.head.label,
+        targetBranch: 'master',
         prTitle: mockNewPR.title,
         prBody: mockNewPR.body,
       });
@@ -743,6 +744,7 @@ describe('platform/gitea', () => {
       await initFakeRepo();
       await gitea.createPr({
         branchName: mockNewPR.head.label,
+        targetBranch: 'master',
         prTitle: mockNewPR.title,
         prBody: mockNewPR.body,
         labels: mockLabels.map((l) => l.name),
@@ -766,6 +768,7 @@ describe('platform/gitea', () => {
       await gitea.getPrList();
       await gitea.createPr({
         branchName: mockNewPR.head.label,
+        targetBranch: 'master',
         prTitle: mockNewPR.title,
         prBody: mockNewPR.body,
       });
@@ -782,6 +785,7 @@ describe('platform/gitea', () => {
       await initFakeRepo();
       const res = await gitea.createPr({
         branchName: mockNewPR.head.label,
+        targetBranch: 'master',
         prTitle: mockNewPR.title,
         prBody: mockNewPR.body,
       });
@@ -796,6 +800,7 @@ describe('platform/gitea', () => {
       await initFakeRepo();
       const res = await gitea.createPr({
         branchName: mockNewPR.head.label,
+        targetBranch: 'master',
         prTitle: 'new-title',
         prBody: 'new-body',
       });
@@ -816,6 +821,7 @@ describe('platform/gitea', () => {
       await expect(
         gitea.createPr({
           branchName: mockNewPR.head.label,
+          targetBranch: 'master',
           prTitle: mockNewPR.title,
           prBody: mockNewPR.body,
         })
diff --git a/lib/platform/gitea/index.ts b/lib/platform/gitea/index.ts
index b38845c870135ace19026552950de6d9d886e2f8..72053545cbe78fb5eb9a7fab02bb8ae552312f7a 100644
--- a/lib/platform/gitea/index.ts
+++ b/lib/platform/gitea/index.ts
@@ -486,7 +486,7 @@ const platform: Platform = {
 
   async createPr({
     branchName,
-    targetBranch = config.defaultBranch,
+    targetBranch,
     prTitle: title,
     prBody: rawBody,
     labels: labelNames,
diff --git a/lib/platform/github/index.spec.ts b/lib/platform/github/index.spec.ts
index 95397b73ef38da970ea348130f1b08e39fdb66a5..1310d3bfeb292d6f0e7c64b1ded36d805bebd351 100644
--- a/lib/platform/github/index.spec.ts
+++ b/lib/platform/github/index.spec.ts
@@ -1620,6 +1620,7 @@ describe('platform/github', () => {
       await github.initRepo({ repository: 'some/repo', token: 'token' } as any);
       const pr = await github.createPr({
         branchName: 'some-branch',
+        targetBranch: 'master',
         prTitle: 'The Title',
         prBody: 'Hello world',
         labels: null,
@@ -1636,6 +1637,7 @@ describe('platform/github', () => {
       await github.initRepo({ repository: 'some/repo', token: 'token' } as any);
       const pr = await github.createPr({
         branchName: 'some-branch',
+        targetBranch: 'master',
         prTitle: 'PR draft',
         prBody: 'This is a result of a draft',
         labels: null,
diff --git a/lib/platform/github/index.ts b/lib/platform/github/index.ts
index 8d1b2c0be59f19dcf3db664d2a9a21e609484fe3..ade3fe6f4adb4164a33a5c94bbd79f0298a4b16a 100644
--- a/lib/platform/github/index.ts
+++ b/lib/platform/github/index.ts
@@ -1407,7 +1407,7 @@ export async function ensureCommentRemoval({
 // Creates PR and returns PR number
 export async function createPr({
   branchName,
-  targetBranch = config.defaultBranch,
+  targetBranch,
   prTitle: title,
   prBody: rawBody,
   labels,
diff --git a/lib/platform/gitlab/__snapshots__/index.spec.ts.snap b/lib/platform/gitlab/__snapshots__/index.spec.ts.snap
index d18ffba7cd416d165c6a28368e1a5b8f1821497b..918580ccc62ebcaf80adfb48c22696e5d8f837d9 100644
--- a/lib/platform/gitlab/__snapshots__/index.spec.ts.snap
+++ b/lib/platform/gitlab/__snapshots__/index.spec.ts.snap
@@ -146,11 +146,11 @@ exports[`platform/gitlab addReviewers(issueNo, reviewers) should add the given r
 exports[`platform/gitlab createPr(branchName, title, body) auto-accepts the MR when requested 1`] = `
 Array [
   Object {
-    "body": "{\\"source_branch\\":\\"some-branch\\",\\"remove_source_branch\\":true,\\"title\\":\\"some-title\\",\\"description\\":\\"the-body\\",\\"labels\\":\\"\\"}",
+    "body": "{\\"source_branch\\":\\"some-branch\\",\\"target_branch\\":\\"master\\",\\"remove_source_branch\\":true,\\"title\\":\\"some-title\\",\\"description\\":\\"the-body\\",\\"labels\\":\\"\\"}",
     "headers": Object {
       "accept": "application/json",
       "accept-encoding": "gzip, deflate",
-      "content-length": "117",
+      "content-length": "142",
       "content-type": "application/json",
       "host": "gitlab.com",
       "private-token": "abc123",
@@ -211,11 +211,11 @@ Object {
 exports[`platform/gitlab createPr(branchName, title, body) returns the PR 2`] = `
 Array [
   Object {
-    "body": "{\\"source_branch\\":\\"some-branch\\",\\"remove_source_branch\\":true,\\"title\\":\\"some-title\\",\\"description\\":\\"the-body\\",\\"labels\\":null}",
+    "body": "{\\"source_branch\\":\\"some-branch\\",\\"target_branch\\":\\"master\\",\\"remove_source_branch\\":true,\\"title\\":\\"some-title\\",\\"description\\":\\"the-body\\",\\"labels\\":null}",
     "headers": Object {
       "accept": "application/json",
       "accept-encoding": "gzip, deflate",
-      "content-length": "119",
+      "content-length": "144",
       "content-type": "application/json",
       "host": "gitlab.com",
       "private-token": "abc123",
@@ -240,11 +240,11 @@ Object {
 exports[`platform/gitlab createPr(branchName, title, body) uses default branch 2`] = `
 Array [
   Object {
-    "body": "{\\"source_branch\\":\\"some-branch\\",\\"remove_source_branch\\":true,\\"title\\":\\"some-title\\",\\"description\\":\\"the-body\\",\\"labels\\":\\"\\"}",
+    "body": "{\\"source_branch\\":\\"some-branch\\",\\"target_branch\\":\\"master\\",\\"remove_source_branch\\":true,\\"title\\":\\"some-title\\",\\"description\\":\\"the-body\\",\\"labels\\":\\"\\"}",
     "headers": Object {
       "accept": "application/json",
       "accept-encoding": "gzip, deflate",
-      "content-length": "117",
+      "content-length": "142",
       "content-type": "application/json",
       "host": "gitlab.com",
       "private-token": "abc123",
diff --git a/lib/platform/gitlab/index.spec.ts b/lib/platform/gitlab/index.spec.ts
index e891e7ad3dcec5076b6e11d6dc32591257e4140c..ca818f05aead3738d7bf0ea1f647ba7fcdd61a06 100644
--- a/lib/platform/gitlab/index.spec.ts
+++ b/lib/platform/gitlab/index.spec.ts
@@ -974,6 +974,7 @@ describe('platform/gitlab', () => {
         });
       const pr = await gitlab.createPr({
         branchName: 'some-branch',
+        targetBranch: 'master',
         prTitle: 'some-title',
         prBody: 'the-body',
         labels: null,
@@ -991,6 +992,7 @@ describe('platform/gitlab', () => {
         });
       const pr = await gitlab.createPr({
         branchName: 'some-branch',
+        targetBranch: 'master',
         prTitle: 'some-title',
         prBody: 'the-body',
         labels: [],
@@ -1022,6 +1024,7 @@ describe('platform/gitlab', () => {
         .reply(200);
       await gitlab.createPr({
         branchName: 'some-branch',
+        targetBranch: 'master',
         prTitle: 'some-title',
         prBody: 'the-body',
         labels: [],
diff --git a/lib/platform/gitlab/index.ts b/lib/platform/gitlab/index.ts
index 937b6e96b157897a2215afd2c7d341aa74ca405c..4d112fd04775101f1aa2533f481485bf55366843 100644
--- a/lib/platform/gitlab/index.ts
+++ b/lib/platform/gitlab/index.ts
@@ -356,7 +356,7 @@ export async function getBranchStatus(
 
 export async function createPr({
   branchName,
-  targetBranch = config.defaultBranch,
+  targetBranch,
   prTitle: title,
   prBody: rawDescription,
   labels,
diff --git a/lib/workers/repository/error.ts b/lib/workers/repository/error.ts
index 469f4248facfee3ed549bce2e11754b45a30e544..f0a39befbd40a2fe50657f055f31aaa7ae42def2 100644
--- a/lib/workers/repository/error.ts
+++ b/lib/workers/repository/error.ts
@@ -175,7 +175,7 @@ export default async function handleError(
     return EXTERNAL_HOST_ERROR;
   }
   if (
-    err.message.includes('The remote end hung up unexpectedly') ||
+    err.message.includes('remote end hung up unexpectedly') ||
     err.message.includes('access denied or repository not exported')
   ) {
     logger.warn({ err }, 'Git error - aborting');
diff --git a/lib/workers/repository/onboarding/pr/index.ts b/lib/workers/repository/onboarding/pr/index.ts
index ec720cc199cb0af17577a67bf52e910be0f7663e..1ed8f339f5a72e1eacd732366d3b96248f8e46f5 100644
--- a/lib/workers/repository/onboarding/pr/index.ts
+++ b/lib/workers/repository/onboarding/pr/index.ts
@@ -128,6 +128,7 @@ If you need any further assistance then you can also [request help here](${confi
     } else {
       const pr = await platform.createPr({
         branchName: config.onboardingBranch,
+        targetBranch: config.defaultBranch,
         prTitle: config.onboardingPrTitle,
         prBody,
         labels,