diff --git a/lib/workers/repository/init/index.spec.ts b/lib/workers/repository/init/index.spec.ts
index 1927900bcd683f..4f96f018118905 100644
--- a/lib/workers/repository/init/index.spec.ts
+++ b/lib/workers/repository/init/index.spec.ts
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ describe('workers/repository/init/index', () => {
     it('runs', async () => {
       apis.initApis.mockResolvedValue(partial<_apis.WorkerPlatformConfig>());
       onboarding.checkOnboardingBranch.mockResolvedValueOnce({});
-      config.getRepoConfig.mockResolvedValueOnce({});
+      config.getRepoConfig.mockResolvedValueOnce({ mode: 'silent' });
       merge.mergeRenovateConfig.mockResolvedValueOnce({});
       secrets.applySecretsToConfig.mockReturnValueOnce(
         partial<RenovateConfig>(),
diff --git a/lib/workers/repository/init/index.ts b/lib/workers/repository/init/index.ts
index f4d3ac84dbeab0..5890f716bbddae 100644
--- a/lib/workers/repository/init/index.ts
+++ b/lib/workers/repository/init/index.ts
@@ -54,6 +54,11 @@ export async function initRepo(
   await initializeCaches(config as WorkerPlatformConfig);
   config = await getRepoConfig(config);
   setRepositoryLogLevelRemaps(config.logLevelRemap);
+  if (config.mode === 'silent') {
+    logger.info(
+      'Repository is running with mode=silent and will not make Issues or Prs by default',
+    );
+  }
   checkIfConfigured(config);
   warnOnUnsupportedOptions(config);
   config = applySecretsToConfig(config);