diff --git a/lib/workers/branch/package-json.js b/lib/workers/branch/package-json.js
index bf404a01d69b140fc46a993543003d416c91c901..d4a2b2d164710e249bc573931576047680087a5d 100644
--- a/lib/workers/branch/package-json.js
+++ b/lib/workers/branch/package-json.js
@@ -44,11 +44,11 @@ function setNewValue(currentFileContent, depType, depName, newVersion, logger) {
   }
   // istanbul ignore if
   if (!newFileContent) {
-    logger.debug(
+    logger.warn(
       { currentFileContent, parsedContents, depType, depName, newVersion },
       'setNewValue error'
     );
-    throw new Error('Could not set new value');
+    return currentFileContent;
   }
   return newFileContent;
 }