diff --git a/lib/modules/platform/github/index.ts b/lib/modules/platform/github/index.ts
index d8eea93985f6c37ab2ef1d7d26130e57f2555156..c34abf4abcbf14be17cf62b6ebb2617ba6555edd 100644
--- a/lib/modules/platform/github/index.ts
+++ b/lib/modules/platform/github/index.ts
@@ -512,6 +512,10 @@ export async function initRepo({
     }
     // istanbul ignore if
     if (!repo.defaultBranchRef?.name) {
+      logger.debug(
+        { res },
+        'No default branch returned - treating repo as empty',
+      );
       throw new Error(REPOSITORY_EMPTY);
     }
     if (