diff --git a/lib/modules/platform/gerrit/index.ts b/lib/modules/platform/gerrit/index.ts
index d4f5b3c8123780c..43133bd9250304a 100644
--- a/lib/modules/platform/gerrit/index.ts
+++ b/lib/modules/platform/gerrit/index.ts
@@ -436,3 +436,7 @@ export function findIssue(title: string): Promise<Issue | null> {
 export function getIssueList(): Promise<Issue[]> {
   return Promise.resolve([]);
 }
+
+export async function approvePr(number: number): Promise<void> {
+  await client.approveChange(number);
+}
diff --git a/lib/modules/platform/types.ts b/lib/modules/platform/types.ts
index cc770c1d8e43ee8..67e95722462fa4d 100644
--- a/lib/modules/platform/types.ts
+++ b/lib/modules/platform/types.ts
@@ -282,6 +282,7 @@ export interface Platform {
 
   maxBodyLength(): number;
   labelCharLimit?(): number;
+  approvePr?(number: number): Promise<void>;
 }
 
 export interface PlatformScm {
diff --git a/lib/workers/repository/update/pr/automerge.ts b/lib/workers/repository/update/pr/automerge.ts
index 2ace410741b3b8f..4bbe2aaab1d53ee 100644
--- a/lib/workers/repository/update/pr/automerge.ts
+++ b/lib/workers/repository/update/pr/automerge.ts
@@ -69,6 +69,12 @@ export async function checkAutoMerge(
       prAutomergeBlockReason: 'PlatformNotReady',
     };
   }
+  // Usually the PR will already be approved, this is a last resort in case the
+  // approval was lost for some reason
+  if (config.autoApprove && platform.approvePr) {
+    logger.debug('Auto-approving PR if needed before automerge');
+    await platform.approvePr(pr.number);
+  }
   const branchStatus = await resolveBranchStatus(
     branchName,
     !!config.internalChecksAsSuccess,