diff --git a/lib/api/gitlab.js b/lib/api/gitlab.js
index 36afaccba3e45805eddd895fd7589a747187f4b2..745eca25f065b03b0f781da1bf358809e17bfa18 100644
--- a/lib/api/gitlab.js
+++ b/lib/api/gitlab.js
@@ -254,13 +254,16 @@ async function checkForClosedPr(branchName, prTitle) {
 
 async function createPr(branchName, title, body) {
   logger.debug(`Creating Merge Request: ${title}`);
+  const description = body
+    .replace(/Pull Request/g, 'Merge Request')
+    .replace(/PR/g, 'MR');
   const res = await glGot.post(`projects/${config.repoName}/merge_requests`, {
     body: {
       source_branch: branchName,
       target_branch: config.defaultBranch,
       remove_source_branch: true,
       title,
-      description: body,
+      description,
     },
   });
   const pr = res.body;
@@ -295,10 +298,13 @@ async function getPr(prNo) {
 }
 
 async function updatePr(prNo, title, body) {
+  const description = body
+    .replace(/Pull Request/g, 'Merge Request')
+    .replace(/PR/g, 'MR');
   await glGot.put(`projects/${config.repoName}/merge_requests/${prNo}`, {
     body: {
       title,
-      description: body,
+      description,
     },
   });
 }
diff --git a/lib/workers/repository/onboarding.js b/lib/workers/repository/onboarding.js
index 591d636e3505ff4c11890422aa488576ae23c2ee..4ee7ad0c481ee9ef4e4467ba6a7b747743d8ce53 100644
--- a/lib/workers/repository/onboarding.js
+++ b/lib/workers/repository/onboarding.js
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ module.exports = {
 
 async function onboardRepository(config) {
   const defaultConfig = defaultsParser.getOnboardingConfig();
-  let prBody = `Welcome to [Renovate](https://keylocation.sg/our-tech/renovate)! Once you close this Pull Request, we will begin keeping your dependencies up-to-date via automated Pull Requests.
+  const prBody = `Welcome to [Renovate](https://keylocation.sg/our-tech/renovate)! Once you close this Pull Request, we will begin keeping your dependencies up-to-date via automated Pull Requests.
 
 The [Configuration](https://github.com/singapore/renovate/blob/master/docs/configuration.md) and [Configuration FAQ](https://github.com/singapore/renovate/blob/master/docs/faq.md) documents should be helpful.
 
@@ -19,10 +19,6 @@ You do not need to *merge* this Pull Request - renovate will begin even if it's
 In fact, you only need to add a \`renovate.json\` file to your repository if you wish to override any default settings. The file is included as part of this PR only in case you wish to change default settings before you start.
 If the default settings are all suitable for you, simply close this Pull Request unmerged and your first renovation will begin the next time the program is run.`;
 
-  if (config.platform === 'gitlab') {
-    defaultConfig.platform = 'gitlab';
-    prBody = prBody.replace(/Pull Request/g, 'Merge Request');
-  }
   const defaultConfigString = `${stringify(defaultConfig)}\n`;
   await config.api.commitFilesToBranch(
     'renovate/configure',
diff --git a/test/api/gitlab.spec.js b/test/api/gitlab.spec.js
index b4fc7a0a40a1b9129e74a18d535f52c9d69fc684..2ae6ff3d978c52f420b7b1a88a655daf55faaff8 100644
--- a/test/api/gitlab.spec.js
+++ b/test/api/gitlab.spec.js
@@ -417,7 +417,7 @@ describe('api/gitlab', () => {
   describe('updatePr(prNo, title, body)', () => {
     jest.resetAllMocks();
     it('updates the PR', async () => {
-      await gitlab.updatePr();
+      await gitlab.updatePr(1, 'title', 'body');
       expect(glGot.put.mock.calls.length).toEqual(1);
     });
   });
diff --git a/test/workers/repository/onboarding.spec.js b/test/workers/repository/onboarding.spec.js
index d11814fda22c71b61616a2b73e0b02ad2c991957..24ca1ff910328e2f5ef15d2a7d8f6a83a7c4e3f1 100644
--- a/test/workers/repository/onboarding.spec.js
+++ b/test/workers/repository/onboarding.spec.js
@@ -26,16 +26,6 @@ describe('lib/workers/repository/onboarding', () => {
       ).toBe(-1);
       expect(config.api.commitFilesToBranch.mock.calls).toMatchSnapshot();
     });
-    it('should adapt for gitlab phrasing', async () => {
-      config.platform = 'gitlab';
-      await onboarding.onboardRepository(config);
-      expect(config.api.createPr.mock.calls[0][2].indexOf('Pull Request')).toBe(
-        -1
-      );
-      expect(
-        config.api.createPr.mock.calls[0][2].indexOf('Merge Request')
-      ).not.toBe(-1);
-    });
   });
   describe('getOnboardingStatus(config)', () => {
     let config;