diff --git a/lib/modules/platform/github/index.spec.ts b/lib/modules/platform/github/index.spec.ts
index e7e4ea1b89f87a..374c60079c1fbe 100644
--- a/lib/modules/platform/github/index.spec.ts
+++ b/lib/modules/platform/github/index.spec.ts
@@ -532,7 +532,7 @@ describe('modules/platform/github/index', () => {
   }
 
   describe('initRepo', () => {
-    it('should rebase', async () => {
+    it('should squash', async () => {
       const scope = httpMock.scope(githubApiHost);
       initRepoMock(scope, 'some/repo');
       const config = await github.initRepo({ repository: 'some/repo' });
@@ -675,7 +675,7 @@ describe('modules/platform/github/index', () => {
       expect(config).toMatchSnapshot();
     });
 
-    it('should squash', async () => {
+    it('should merge', async () => {
       httpMock
         .scope(githubApiHost)
         .post(`/graphql`)
@@ -687,8 +687,8 @@ describe('modules/platform/github/index', () => {
               nameWithOwner: 'some/repo',
               hasIssuesEnabled: true,
               mergeCommitAllowed: true,
-              rebaseMergeAllowed: false,
-              squashMergeAllowed: true,
+              rebaseMergeAllowed: true,
+              squashMergeAllowed: false,
               defaultBranchRef: {
                 name: 'master',
                 target: {
@@ -704,7 +704,7 @@ describe('modules/platform/github/index', () => {
       expect(config).toMatchSnapshot();
     });
 
-    it('should merge', async () => {
+    it('should rebase', async () => {
       httpMock
         .scope(githubApiHost)
         .post(`/graphql`)
@@ -715,8 +715,8 @@ describe('modules/platform/github/index', () => {
               isArchived: false,
               nameWithOwner: 'some/repo',
               hasIssuesEnabled: true,
-              mergeCommitAllowed: true,
-              rebaseMergeAllowed: false,
+              mergeCommitAllowed: false,
+              rebaseMergeAllowed: true,
               squashMergeAllowed: false,
               defaultBranchRef: {
                 name: 'master',
@@ -2882,7 +2882,7 @@ describe('modules/platform/github/index', () => {
           },
           variables: {
             pullRequestId: 'abcd',
-            mergeMethod: 'REBASE',
+            mergeMethod: 'SQUASH',
           },
         },
       };
@@ -3510,7 +3510,7 @@ describe('modules/platform/github/index', () => {
         },
         variables: {
           pullRequestId: 'abcd',
-          mergeMethod: 'REBASE',
+          mergeMethod: 'SQUASH',
         },
       },
     };
@@ -3683,7 +3683,7 @@ describe('modules/platform/github/index', () => {
   });
 
   describe('mergePr(prNo) - autodetection', () => {
-    it('should try rebase first', async () => {
+    it('should try squash first', async () => {
       const scope = httpMock.scope(githubApiHost);
       initRepoMock(scope, 'some/repo');
       scope.put('/repos/some/repo/pulls/1235/merge').reply(200);
@@ -3702,12 +3702,12 @@ describe('modules/platform/github/index', () => {
       ).toBeTrue();
     });
 
-    it('should try squash after rebase', async () => {
+    it('should try merge after squash', async () => {
       const scope = httpMock.scope(githubApiHost);
       initRepoMock(scope, 'some/repo');
       scope
         .put('/repos/some/repo/pulls/1236/merge')
-        .reply(400, 'no rebasing allowed');
+        .reply(400, 'no squashing allowed');
       await github.initRepo({ repository: 'some/repo' });
       const pr = {
         number: 1236,
@@ -3723,15 +3723,15 @@ describe('modules/platform/github/index', () => {
       ).toBeFalse();
     });
 
-    it('should try merge after squash', async () => {
+    it('should try rebase after merge', async () => {
       const scope = httpMock.scope(githubApiHost);
       initRepoMock(scope, 'some/repo');
       scope
-        .put('/repos/some/repo/pulls/1237/merge')
-        .reply(405, 'no rebasing allowed')
         .put('/repos/some/repo/pulls/1237/merge')
         .reply(405, 'no squashing allowed')
         .put('/repos/some/repo/pulls/1237/merge')
+        .reply(405, 'no merging allowed')
+        .put('/repos/some/repo/pulls/1237/merge')
         .reply(200);
       await github.initRepo({ repository: 'some/repo' });
       const pr = {
@@ -3753,12 +3753,12 @@ describe('modules/platform/github/index', () => {
       initRepoMock(scope, 'some/repo');
       scope
         .put('/repos/some/repo/pulls/1237/merge')
-        .reply(405, 'no rebasing allowed')
-        .put('/repos/some/repo/pulls/1237/merge')
-        .replyWithError('no squashing allowed')
+        .reply(405, 'no squashing allowed')
         .put('/repos/some/repo/pulls/1237/merge')
         .replyWithError('no merging allowed')
         .put('/repos/some/repo/pulls/1237/merge')
+        .replyWithError('no rebasing allowed')
+        .put('/repos/some/repo/pulls/1237/merge')
         .replyWithError('never gonna give you up');
       await github.initRepo({ repository: 'some/repo' });
       const pr = {
diff --git a/lib/modules/platform/github/index.ts b/lib/modules/platform/github/index.ts
index 08678c06d37dac..082932f3475698 100644
--- a/lib/modules/platform/github/index.ts
+++ b/lib/modules/platform/github/index.ts
@@ -553,12 +553,12 @@ export async function initRepo({
     // Base branch may be configured but defaultBranch is always fixed
     logger.debug(`${repository} default branch = ${config.defaultBranch}`);
     // GitHub allows administrators to block certain types of merge, so we need to check it
-    if (repo.rebaseMergeAllowed) {
-      config.mergeMethod = 'rebase';
-    } else if (repo.squashMergeAllowed) {
+    if (repo.squashMergeAllowed) {
       config.mergeMethod = 'squash';
     } else if (repo.mergeCommitAllowed) {
       config.mergeMethod = 'merge';
+    } else if (repo.rebaseMergeAllowed) {
+      config.mergeMethod = 'rebase';
     } else {
       // This happens if we don't have Administrator read access, it is not a critical error
       logger.debug('Could not find allowed merge methods for repo');
@@ -1910,25 +1910,25 @@ export async function mergePr({
     }
   }
   if (!automerged) {
-    // We need to guess the merge method and try squash -> rebase -> merge
-    options.body.merge_method = 'rebase';
+    // We need to guess the merge method and try squash -> merge -> rebase
+    options.body.merge_method = 'squash';
     try {
       logger.debug({ options, url }, `mergePr`);
       automergeResult = await githubApi.putJson(url, options);
     } catch (err1) {
-      logger.debug({ err: err1 }, `Failed to rebase merge PR`);
+      logger.debug({ err: err1 }, `Failed to squash merge PR`);
       try {
-        options.body.merge_method = 'squash';
+        options.body.merge_method = 'merge';
         logger.debug({ options, url }, `mergePr`);
         automergeResult = await githubApi.putJson(url, options);
       } catch (err2) {
-        logger.debug({ err: err2 }, `Failed to merge squash PR`);
+        logger.debug({ err: err2 }, `Failed to merge commit PR`);
         try {
-          options.body.merge_method = 'merge';
+          options.body.merge_method = 'rebase';
           logger.debug({ options, url }, `mergePr`);
           automergeResult = await githubApi.putJson(url, options);
         } catch (err3) {
-          logger.debug({ err: err3 }, `Failed to merge commit PR`);
+          logger.debug({ err: err3 }, `Failed to rebase merge PR`);
           logger.info({ pr: prNo }, 'All merge attempts failed');
           return false;
         }