diff --git a/lib/constants/error-messages.ts b/lib/constants/error-messages.ts
index 490a325f0e8e6a..95daa453ee8ecb 100644
--- a/lib/constants/error-messages.ts
+++ b/lib/constants/error-messages.ts
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ export const PLATFORM_GPG_FAILED = 'gpg-failed';
 export const PLATFORM_INTEGRATION_UNAUTHORIZED = 'integration-unauthorized';
 export const PLATFORM_NOT_FOUND = 'platform-not-found';
 export const PLATFORM_RATE_LIMIT_EXCEEDED = 'rate-limit-exceeded';
+export const PLATFORM_UNKNOWN_ERROR = 'platform-unknown-error';
 
 // Config Error
 export const CONFIG_VALIDATION = 'config-validation';
diff --git a/lib/modules/platform/github/index.spec.ts b/lib/modules/platform/github/index.spec.ts
index 31bec33b22c41e..ba40d4a3aa12fb 100644
--- a/lib/modules/platform/github/index.spec.ts
+++ b/lib/modules/platform/github/index.spec.ts
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@ import * as httpMock from '../../../../test/http-mock';
 import { logger, mocked, partial } from '../../../../test/util';
 import { GlobalConfig } from '../../../config/global';
 import {
+  PLATFORM_RATE_LIMIT_EXCEEDED,
+  PLATFORM_UNKNOWN_ERROR,
   REPOSITORY_CANNOT_FORK,
   REPOSITORY_NOT_FOUND,
   REPOSITORY_RENAMED,
@@ -542,6 +544,40 @@ describe('modules/platform/github/index', () => {
       ).rejects.toThrow(REPOSITORY_NOT_FOUND);
     });
 
+    it('throws unexpected graphql errors', async () => {
+      httpMock
+        .scope(githubApiHost)
+        .post(`/graphql`)
+        .reply(200, {
+          errors: [
+            {
+              type: 'SOME_ERROR_TYPE',
+              message: 'Some error message',
+            },
+          ],
+        });
+      await expect(
+        github.initRepo({ repository: 'some/repo' })
+      ).rejects.toThrow(PLATFORM_UNKNOWN_ERROR);
+    });
+
+    it('throws graphql rate limit error', async () => {
+      httpMock
+        .scope(githubApiHost)
+        .post(`/graphql`)
+        .reply(200, {
+          errors: [
+            {
+              type: 'RATE_LIMITED',
+              message: 'API rate limit exceeded for installation ID XXXXXXX.',
+            },
+          ],
+        });
+      await expect(
+        github.initRepo({ repository: 'some/repo' })
+      ).rejects.toThrow(PLATFORM_RATE_LIMIT_EXCEEDED);
+    });
+
     it('should throw error if renamed', async () => {
       httpMock
         .scope(githubApiHost)
diff --git a/lib/modules/platform/github/index.ts b/lib/modules/platform/github/index.ts
index 6bd3ab403f5421..7f03bff81fc0c2 100644
--- a/lib/modules/platform/github/index.ts
+++ b/lib/modules/platform/github/index.ts
@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@ import semver from 'semver';
 import { GlobalConfig } from '../../../config/global';
 import {
   PLATFORM_INTEGRATION_UNAUTHORIZED,
+  PLATFORM_RATE_LIMIT_EXCEEDED,
+  PLATFORM_UNKNOWN_ERROR,
   REPOSITORY_ACCESS_FORBIDDEN,
   REPOSITORY_ARCHIVED,
   REPOSITORY_BLOCKED,
@@ -394,6 +396,16 @@ export async function initRepo({
         name: config.repositoryName,
       },
     });
+
+    if (res?.errors) {
+      if (res.errors.find((err) => err.type === 'RATE_LIMITED')) {
+        logger.debug({ res }, 'Graph QL rate limit exceeded.');
+        throw new Error(PLATFORM_RATE_LIMIT_EXCEEDED);
+      }
+      logger.debug({ res }, 'Unexpected Graph QL errors');
+      throw new Error(PLATFORM_UNKNOWN_ERROR);
+    }
+
     repo = res?.data?.repository;
     // istanbul ignore if
     if (!repo) {