diff --git a/lib/util/git/index.ts b/lib/util/git/index.ts
index 4bd3fc639e1bc6e518f567443c9a9b867d661171..3dafd524c794335b81aa7d3167995bdd254172fb 100644
--- a/lib/util/git/index.ts
+++ b/lib/util/git/index.ts
@@ -192,6 +192,9 @@ export async function syncGit(): Promise<void> {
       logger.debug({ durationMs }, 'git fetch completed');
       clone = false;
     } catch (err) /* istanbul ignore next */ {
+      if (err.message === REPOSITORY_EMPTY) {
+        throw err;
+      }
       logger.error({ err }, 'git fetch error');
     }
   }
@@ -213,6 +216,9 @@ export async function syncGit(): Promise<void> {
       if (err.message?.includes('No space left on device')) {
         throw new Error(SYSTEM_INSUFFICIENT_DISK_SPACE);
       }
+      if (err.message === REPOSITORY_EMPTY) {
+        throw err;
+      }
       throw new ExternalHostError(err, 'git');
     }
     const durationMs = Math.round(Date.now() - cloneStart);