diff --git a/lib/platform/github/storage.js b/lib/platform/github/storage.js
index e4eb73dd9b1ef3d184ce95c32ef65c7c33a2b3a4..2d747db259748ed4b0eff1eaddd3e8d3e94da05b 100644
--- a/lib/platform/github/storage.js
+++ b/lib/platform/github/storage.js
@@ -40,8 +40,7 @@ class Storage {
       branchList = null;
     }
 
-    // Returns true if branch exists, otherwise false
-    async function branchExists(branchName) {
+    async function getBranchList() {
       if (!branchList) {
         logger.debug('Retrieving branchList');
         branchList = (await get(
@@ -52,7 +51,12 @@ class Storage {
         )).body.map(branch => branch.name);
         logger.debug({ branchList }, 'Retrieved branchList');
       }
-      const res = branchList.includes(branchName);
+      return branchList;
+    }
+
+    // Returns true if branch exists, otherwise false
+    async function branchExists(branchName) {
+      const res = (await getBranchList()).includes(branchName);
       logger.debug(`branchExists(${branchName})=${res}`);
       return res;
     }