diff --git a/lib/workers/branch/index.ts b/lib/workers/branch/index.ts
index 07a8707c48..c66d4e5108 100644
--- a/lib/workers/branch/index.ts
+++ b/lib/workers/branch/index.ts
@@ -439,8 +439,17 @@ export async function processBranch(
     await setStability(config);
     await setUnpublishable(config);
 
+    // break if we pushed a new commit because status check are pretty sure pending but maybe not reported yet
+    if (
+      commit &&
+      (config.requiredStatusChecks?.length || config.prCreation !== 'immediate')
+    ) {
+      logger.debug({ commit }, `Branch status pending`);
+      return 'pending';
+    }
+
     // Try to automerge branch and finish if successful, but only if branch already existed before this run
-    if (branchExists || !config.requiresStatusChecks) {
+    if (branchExists || !config.requiredStatusChecks) {
       const mergeStatus = await tryBranchAutomerge(config);
       logger.debug(`mergeStatus=${mergeStatus}`);
       if (mergeStatus === 'automerged') {
diff --git a/test/workers/branch/index.spec.ts b/test/workers/branch/index.spec.ts
index adfb1386cc..11c56e81b3 100644
--- a/test/workers/branch/index.spec.ts
+++ b/test/workers/branch/index.spec.ts
@@ -233,12 +233,33 @@ describe('workers/branch', () => {
         updatedArtifacts: [{}],
       } as never);
       platform.branchExists.mockResolvedValueOnce(true);
+      commit.commitFilesToBranch.mockResolvedValueOnce(null);
       automerge.tryBranchAutomerge.mockResolvedValueOnce('automerged');
       await branchWorker.processBranch(config);
       expect(statusChecks.setUnpublishable).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
       expect(automerge.tryBranchAutomerge).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
       expect(prWorker.ensurePr).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(0);
     });
+
+    it('returns if branch automerged and no checks', async () => {
+      getUpdated.getUpdatedPackageFiles.mockReturnValueOnce({
+        updatedPackageFiles: [{}],
+      } as never);
+      npmPostExtract.getAdditionalFiles.mockReturnValueOnce({
+        artifactErrors: [],
+        updatedArtifacts: [{}],
+      } as never);
+      platform.branchExists.mockResolvedValueOnce(false);
+      automerge.tryBranchAutomerge.mockResolvedValueOnce('automerged');
+      await branchWorker.processBranch({
+        ...config,
+        requiredStatusChecks: null,
+      });
+      expect(statusChecks.setUnpublishable).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+      expect(automerge.tryBranchAutomerge).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+      expect(prWorker.ensurePr).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(0);
+    });
+
     it('returns if branch automerged (dry-run)', async () => {
       getUpdated.getUpdatedPackageFiles.mockResolvedValueOnce({
         updatedPackageFiles: [{}],
@@ -248,6 +269,7 @@ describe('workers/branch', () => {
         updatedArtifacts: [{}],
       } as never);
       platform.branchExists.mockResolvedValueOnce(true);
+      commit.commitFilesToBranch.mockResolvedValueOnce(null);
       automerge.tryBranchAutomerge.mockResolvedValueOnce('automerged');
       await branchWorker.processBranch({ ...config, dryRun: true });
       expect(statusChecks.setUnpublishable).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
@@ -263,6 +285,7 @@ describe('workers/branch', () => {
         updatedArtifacts: [{}],
       } as never);
       platform.branchExists.mockResolvedValueOnce(true);
+      commit.commitFilesToBranch.mockResolvedValueOnce(null);
       automerge.tryBranchAutomerge.mockResolvedValueOnce('failed');
       prWorker.ensurePr.mockResolvedValueOnce('needs-pr-approval');
       expect(await branchWorker.processBranch(config)).toEqual(
@@ -270,6 +293,7 @@ describe('workers/branch', () => {
       );
     });
     it('returns if branch exists but pending', async () => {
+      expect.assertions(1);
       getUpdated.getUpdatedPackageFiles.mockResolvedValueOnce({
         updatedPackageFiles: [{}],
       } as never);
@@ -278,12 +302,33 @@ describe('workers/branch', () => {
         updatedArtifacts: [{}],
       } as never);
       platform.branchExists.mockResolvedValueOnce(true);
+      commit.commitFilesToBranch.mockResolvedValueOnce(null);
       automerge.tryBranchAutomerge.mockResolvedValueOnce('failed');
       prWorker.ensurePr.mockResolvedValueOnce('pending');
       expect(await branchWorker.processBranch(config)).toEqual(
         BRANCH_STATUS_PENDING
       );
     });
+    it('returns if branch exists but updated', async () => {
+      expect.assertions(3);
+      getUpdated.getUpdatedPackageFiles.mockResolvedValueOnce({
+        updatedPackageFiles: [{}],
+      } as never);
+      npmPostExtract.getAdditionalFiles.mockResolvedValueOnce({
+        artifactErrors: [],
+        updatedArtifacts: [{}],
+      } as never);
+      expect(
+        await branchWorker.processBranch({
+          ...config,
+          requiredStatusChecks: null,
+          prCreation: 'not-pending',
+        })
+      ).toEqual(BRANCH_STATUS_PENDING);
+
+      expect(automerge.tryBranchAutomerge).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(0);
+      expect(prWorker.ensurePr).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(0);
+    });
     it('ensures PR and tries automerge', async () => {
       getUpdated.getUpdatedPackageFiles.mockResolvedValueOnce({
         updatedPackageFiles: [{}],
@@ -296,6 +341,7 @@ describe('workers/branch', () => {
       automerge.tryBranchAutomerge.mockResolvedValueOnce('failed');
       prWorker.ensurePr.mockResolvedValueOnce({} as never);
       prWorker.checkAutoMerge.mockResolvedValueOnce(true);
+      commit.commitFilesToBranch.mockResolvedValueOnce(null);
       await branchWorker.processBranch(config);
       expect(prWorker.ensurePr).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
       expect(platform.ensureCommentRemoval).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
@@ -313,6 +359,7 @@ describe('workers/branch', () => {
       automerge.tryBranchAutomerge.mockResolvedValueOnce('failed');
       prWorker.ensurePr.mockResolvedValueOnce({} as never);
       prWorker.checkAutoMerge.mockResolvedValueOnce(true);
+      commit.commitFilesToBranch.mockResolvedValueOnce(null);
       await branchWorker.processBranch(config);
       expect(platform.ensureComment).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
       // expect(platform.ensureCommentRemoval.mock.calls).toHaveLength(0);
@@ -332,6 +379,7 @@ describe('workers/branch', () => {
       prWorker.ensurePr.mockResolvedValueOnce({} as never);
       prWorker.checkAutoMerge.mockResolvedValueOnce(true);
       config.releaseTimestamp = '2018-04-26T05:15:51.877Z';
+      commit.commitFilesToBranch.mockResolvedValueOnce(null);
       await branchWorker.processBranch(config);
       expect(platform.ensureComment).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
       // expect(platform.ensureCommentRemoval.mock.calls).toHaveLength(0);
@@ -351,6 +399,7 @@ describe('workers/branch', () => {
       prWorker.ensurePr.mockResolvedValueOnce({} as never);
       prWorker.checkAutoMerge.mockResolvedValueOnce(true);
       config.releaseTimestamp = new Date().toISOString();
+      commit.commitFilesToBranch.mockResolvedValueOnce(null);
       await branchWorker.processBranch(config);
       expect(platform.ensureComment).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
       // expect(platform.ensureCommentRemoval.mock.calls).toHaveLength(0);
@@ -387,6 +436,7 @@ describe('workers/branch', () => {
       automerge.tryBranchAutomerge.mockResolvedValueOnce('failed');
       prWorker.ensurePr.mockResolvedValueOnce({} as never);
       prWorker.checkAutoMerge.mockResolvedValueOnce(true);
+      commit.commitFilesToBranch.mockResolvedValueOnce(null);
       await branchWorker.processBranch(config);
       expect(platform.ensureComment).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
       // expect(platform.ensureCommentRemoval.mock.calls).toHaveLength(0);
@@ -494,6 +544,7 @@ describe('workers/branch', () => {
 
       schedule.isScheduledNow.mockReturnValueOnce(false);
       prWorker.ensurePr.mockResolvedValueOnce({} as never);
+      commit.commitFilesToBranch.mockResolvedValueOnce(null);
       expect(
         await branchWorker.processBranch({
           ...config,