diff --git a/lib/platform/github/index.js b/lib/platform/github/index.js
index 28f3b9e2661929672374ecd059f1f8faf519e157..a0729314e3881d9c6ff556ae7b4b7ab0f04aee26 100644
--- a/lib/platform/github/index.js
+++ b/lib/platform/github/index.js
@@ -628,7 +628,12 @@ async function mergePr(prNo, branchName) {
       logger.debug({ options, url }, `mergePr`);
       await get.put(url, options);
     } catch (err) {
-      logger.error({ err }, `Failed to ${options.body.merge_method} PR`);
+      if (err.statusCode === 405) {
+        // istanbul ignore next
+        logger.info('GitHub blocking PR merge');
+      } else {
+        logger.warn({ err }, `Failed to ${options.body.merge_method} PR`);
+      }
       return false;
     }
   } else {