diff --git a/lib/config/definitions.js b/lib/config/definitions.js
index 977d9d932c9ce21b490d452f0b9346f67e3d91c5..7b8a9a59f5bd48c5a3e4dc0ce382e1b3c3ac358d 100644
--- a/lib/config/definitions.js
+++ b/lib/config/definitions.js
@@ -453,7 +453,7 @@ const options = [
     description: 'Policy for how to modify/update existing ranges.',
     stage: 'package',
     type: 'string',
-    default: 'auto',
+    default: 'replace',
     allowedValues: ['auto', 'pin', 'bump', 'replace', 'widen'],
     cli: false,
     env: false,
diff --git a/test/config/__snapshots__/index.spec.js.snap b/test/config/__snapshots__/index.spec.js.snap
index 444f2bdf6436496e27f3b330325e35693e4ab9d1..59b1cfdafa697e34409088cf54b272a44cae317e 100644
--- a/test/config/__snapshots__/index.spec.js.snap
+++ b/test/config/__snapshots__/index.spec.js.snap
@@ -195,7 +195,7 @@ Object {
   "prTitle": null,
   "privateKey": null,
   "python": Object {},
-  "rangeStrategy": "auto",
+  "rangeStrategy": "replace",
   "rebaseStalePrs": null,
   "recreateClosed": false,
   "renovateFork": false,