diff --git a/lib/platform/github/index.ts b/lib/platform/github/index.ts
index 04b4c146d7d37cde8e06a05e1b4d2169727ea04b..18d3737f9a3a27e2d59e6254375211cc4fde6065 100644
--- a/lib/platform/github/index.ts
+++ b/lib/platform/github/index.ts
@@ -196,12 +196,15 @@ export async function initRepo({
   [config.repositoryOwner, config.repositoryName] = repository.split('/');
   let repo: GhRepo;
   try {
-    repo = await githubApi.queryRepo<GhRepo>(repoInfoQuery, {
+    const res = await githubApi.requestGraphql<{
+      repository: GhRepo;
+    }>(repoInfoQuery, {
       variables: {
         owner: config.repositoryOwner,
         name: config.repositoryName,
       },
     });
+    repo = res?.data?.repository;
     // istanbul ignore if
     if (!repo) {
       throw new Error(REPOSITORY_NOT_FOUND);
diff --git a/lib/util/http/github.spec.ts b/lib/util/http/github.spec.ts
index 9a4af9071aeeeafd326d050119e8eadc8965619b..c4043d3122bff538ede01653797b6e7e63f1f74f 100644
--- a/lib/util/http/github.spec.ts
+++ b/lib/util/http/github.spec.ts
@@ -353,7 +353,7 @@ describe('util/http/github', () => {
         .scope('https://ghe.mycompany.com')
         .post('/api/graphql')
         .reply(200, { data: { repository } });
-      await githubApi.queryRepo(graphqlQuery);
+      await githubApi.requestGraphql(graphqlQuery);
       const [req] = httpMock.getTrace();
       expect(req).toBeDefined();
       expect(req.url).toEqual('https://ghe.mycompany.com/api/graphql');
@@ -432,9 +432,9 @@ describe('util/http/github', () => {
         .post('/graphql')
         .reply(200, { data: { repository } });
 
-      const result = await githubApi.queryRepo(graphqlQuery);
+      const { data } = await githubApi.requestGraphql(graphqlQuery);
       expect(httpMock.getTrace()).toHaveLength(1);
-      expect(result).toStrictEqual(repository);
+      expect(data).toStrictEqual({ repository });
     });
     it('queryRepoField', async () => {
       httpMock
diff --git a/lib/util/http/github.ts b/lib/util/http/github.ts
index e555fed631089165b046f0f247c7a1f5670f1c2d..bc578f223f6bc86edfd813247a4df43395941c14 100644
--- a/lib/util/http/github.ts
+++ b/lib/util/http/github.ts
@@ -30,10 +30,12 @@ export interface GithubHttpOptions extends InternalHttpOptions {
   token?: string;
 }
 
+interface GithubGraphqlRepoData<T = unknown> {
+  repository?: T;
+}
+
 interface GithubGraphqlResponse<T = unknown> {
-  data?: {
-    repository?: T;
-  };
+  data?: T;
   errors?: { message: string; locations: unknown }[];
 }
 
@@ -242,10 +244,10 @@ export class GithubHttp extends Http<GithubHttpOptions, GithubHttpOptions> {
     return result;
   }
 
-  public async queryRepo<T = unknown>(
+  public async requestGraphql<T = unknown>(
     query: string,
     options: GraphqlOptions = {}
-  ): Promise<T> {
+  ): Promise<GithubGraphqlResponse<T>> {
     let result = null;
 
     const path = 'graphql';
@@ -274,7 +276,7 @@ export class GithubHttp extends Http<GithubHttpOptions, GithubHttpOptions> {
         'graphql',
         opts
       );
-      result = res?.body?.data?.repository;
+      result = res?.body;
     } catch (err) {
       if (err instanceof ExternalHostError) {
         const gotError = err.err as GotLegacyError;
@@ -309,14 +311,15 @@ export class GithubHttp extends Http<GithubHttpOptions, GithubHttpOptions> {
 
     let isIterating = true;
     while (isIterating) {
-      const gqlRes = await this.queryRepo<T>(query, {
+      const res = await this.requestGraphql<GithubGraphqlRepoData<T>>(query, {
         ...options,
         count: Math.min(count, limit),
         cursor,
         paginate,
       });
-      if (gqlRes?.[fieldName]) {
-        const { nodes = [], edges = [], pageInfo } = gqlRes[fieldName];
+      const fieldData = res?.data?.repository?.[fieldName];
+      if (fieldData) {
+        const { nodes = [], edges = [], pageInfo } = fieldData;
         result.push(...nodes);
         result.push(...edges);
 
@@ -335,7 +338,7 @@ export class GithubHttp extends Http<GithubHttpOptions, GithubHttpOptions> {
       } else {
         count = Math.floor(count / 2);
         if (count === 0) {
-          logger.error({ gqlRes }, 'Error fetching GraphQL nodes');
+          logger.error({ res }, 'Error fetching GraphQL nodes');
           isIterating = false;
         }
       }