diff --git a/lib/plugins/repository.js b/lib/plugins/repository.js
index 2627b39c4..dd88f3607 100644
--- a/lib/plugins/repository.js
+++ b/lib/plugins/repository.js
@@ -38,7 +38,10 @@ const ignorableFields = [
   'force_create',
   'auto_init',
   'repo',
-  'archived'
+  'archived',
+  // GitHub retired repository Downloads and always returns false here, so comparing
+  // it would report a change on every sync.
+  'has_downloads'
 ]
 
 module.exports = class Repository extends ErrorStash {
diff --git a/test/unit/lib/plugins/repository.test.js b/test/unit/lib/plugins/repository.test.js
index 3ade857b3..9a0dcdfdf 100644
--- a/test/unit/lib/plugins/repository.test.js
+++ b/test/unit/lib/plugins/repository.test.js
@@ -54,6 +54,21 @@ describe('Repository', () => {
       })
     })
 
+    it('does not update a repository whose only difference is has_downloads', () => {
+      // GitHub retired repository Downloads and always returns has_downloads: false,
+      // so a config asking for true never matches.
+      github.rest.repos.get.mockResolvedValueOnce({
+        data: { name: 'test', has_downloads: false, topics: [] }
+      })
+      const plugin = configure({
+        name: 'test',
+        has_downloads: true
+      })
+      return plugin.sync().then(() => {
+        expect(github.rest.repos.update).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+      })
+    })
+
     it('handles renames', () => {
       const plugin = configure({
         name: 'new-name'