diff --git a/lib/config/global.ts b/lib/config/global.ts
index f6961c5913c..d246f179774 100644
--- a/lib/config/global.ts
+++ b/lib/config/global.ts
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@ export class GlobalConfig {
     'prCacheSyncMaxPages',
     'presetCachePersistence',
     'repositoryCacheForceLocal',
+    'requireConfig',
     's3Endpoint',
     's3PathStyle',
     'toolSettings',
diff --git a/lib/config/inherit.ts b/lib/config/inherit.ts
index fce66be4d03..c0a8fb68235 100644
--- a/lib/config/inherit.ts
+++ b/lib/config/inherit.ts
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ export class InheritConfig {
     'onboardingConfigFileName',
     'onboardingNoDeps',
     'onboardingPrTitle',
+    'requireConfig',
   ];
 
   private static config: GlobalInheritableConfig = {};
diff --git a/lib/config/types.ts b/lib/config/types.ts
index b50bdedb078..1a3d807ad3e 100644
--- a/lib/config/types.ts
+++ b/lib/config/types.ts
@@ -173,6 +173,7 @@ export interface GlobalInheritableConfig {
   onboardingConfigFileName?: string;
   onboardingNoDeps?: 'auto' | 'enabled' | 'disabled';
   onboardingPrTitle?: string;
+  requireConfig?: RequiredConfig;
 }
 
 // Config options used only within the global worker
diff --git a/lib/workers/repository/init/merge.spec.ts b/lib/workers/repository/init/merge.spec.ts
index e60a0fb8d7f..3a18fdc34c2 100644
--- a/lib/workers/repository/init/merge.spec.ts
+++ b/lib/workers/repository/init/merge.spec.ts
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import type { RenovateConfig } from '~test/util.ts';
 import { fs, logger, partial, platform, scm } from '~test/util.ts';
 import * as decrypt from '../../../config/decrypt.ts';
 import { getConfig } from '../../../config/defaults.ts';
+import { GlobalConfig } from '../../../config/global.ts';
 import * as _migrateAndValidate from '../../../config/migrate-validate.ts';
 import * as _migrate from '../../../config/migration.ts';
 import type { AllConfig } from '../../../config/types.ts';
@@ -44,6 +45,7 @@ function mockProcessExitOnce(): [MockInstance<NodeJS.Process['exit']>, Error] {
 
 beforeEach(() => {
   memCache.init();
+  GlobalConfig.reset();
   config = getConfig();
   config.errors = [];
   config.warnings = [];
@@ -387,6 +389,7 @@ describe('workers/repository/init/merge', () => {
         warnings: [],
         errors: [],
       });
+      GlobalConfig.set({ requireConfig: 'ignored' });
       expect(
         await mergeRenovateConfig({
           ...config,
diff --git a/lib/workers/repository/init/merge.ts b/lib/workers/repository/init/merge.ts
index 8ac4b8067cd..977a4bb177b 100644
--- a/lib/workers/repository/init/merge.ts
+++ b/lib/workers/repository/init/merge.ts
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ import { platform } from '../../../modules/platform/index.ts';
 import { scm } from '../../../modules/platform/scm.ts';
 import { ExternalHostError } from '../../../types/errors/external-host-error.ts';
 import { getCache } from '../../../util/cache/repository/index.ts';
-import { parseJson } from '../../../util/common.ts';
+import { getInheritedOrGlobal, parseJson } from '../../../util/common.ts';
 import { setUserEnv } from '../../../util/env.ts';
 import { readLocalFile, readSystemFile } from '../../../util/fs/index.ts';
 import * as hostRules from '../../../util/host-rules.ts';
@@ -189,7 +189,7 @@ export async function mergeRenovateConfig(
 ): Promise<RenovateConfig> {
   let returnConfig = { ...config };
   let repoConfig: RepoFileConfig = {};
-  if (config.requireConfig !== 'ignored') {
+  if (getInheritedOrGlobal('requireConfig') !== 'ignored') {
     repoConfig = await detectRepoFileConfig(branchName);
   }
   if (!repoConfig.configFileParsed && config.mode === 'silent') {
diff --git a/lib/workers/repository/onboarding/branch/check.spec.ts b/lib/workers/repository/onboarding/branch/check.spec.ts
index 0a75aa3a21c..6156d40d3ef 100644
--- a/lib/workers/repository/onboarding/branch/check.spec.ts
+++ b/lib/workers/repository/onboarding/branch/check.spec.ts
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ const cache = vi.mocked(_cache);
 
 describe('workers/repository/onboarding/branch/check', () => {
   beforeEach(() => {
-    GlobalConfig.set({ onboarding: true });
+    GlobalConfig.set({ onboarding: true, requireConfig: 'required' });
   });
 
   const config = partial<RenovateConfig>({
diff --git a/lib/workers/repository/onboarding/branch/check.ts b/lib/workers/repository/onboarding/branch/check.ts
index 373c51786e5..3cb219ade21 100644
--- a/lib/workers/repository/onboarding/branch/check.ts
+++ b/lib/workers/repository/onboarding/branch/check.ts
@@ -80,13 +80,13 @@ export async function isOnboarded(config: RenovateConfig): Promise<boolean> {
   // - The current default branch SHA matches the default SHA found in the cache
   // Also if there is a closed pr skip using cache as it is outdated
   if (
-    config.requireConfig === 'optional' &&
+    getInheritedOrGlobal('requireConfig') === 'optional' &&
     getInheritedOrGlobal('onboarding') === false
   ) {
     // Return early and avoid checking for config files
     return true;
   }
-  if (config.requireConfig === 'ignored') {
+  if (getInheritedOrGlobal('requireConfig') === 'ignored') {
     logger.debug('Config file will be ignored');
     return true;
   }
@@ -148,7 +148,7 @@ export async function isOnboarded(config: RenovateConfig): Promise<boolean> {
   // If onboarding has been disabled and config files are required then the
   // repository has not been onboarded yet
   if (
-    config.requireConfig === 'required' &&
+    getInheritedOrGlobal('requireConfig') === 'required' &&
     getInheritedOrGlobal('onboarding') === false
   ) {
     throw new Error(REPOSITORY_NO_CONFIG);
@@ -159,7 +159,7 @@ export async function isOnboarded(config: RenovateConfig): Promise<boolean> {
     return false;
   }
   logger.debug('Found closed onboarding PR');
-  if (config.requireConfig === 'optional') {
+  if (getInheritedOrGlobal('requireConfig') === 'optional') {
     logger.debug('Config not mandatory so repo is considered onboarded');
     return true;
   }
diff --git a/lib/workers/repository/onboarding/branch/index.spec.ts b/lib/workers/repository/onboarding/branch/index.spec.ts
index 8b67bb89245..b6f0e60127e 100644
--- a/lib/workers/repository/onboarding/branch/index.spec.ts
+++ b/lib/workers/repository/onboarding/branch/index.spec.ts
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ describe('workers/repository/onboarding/branch/index', () => {
       GlobalConfig.set({
         onboarding: true,
         onboardingBranch: config.onboardingBranch,
+        requireConfig: config.requireConfig,
       });
       OnboardingState.prUpdateRequested = false;
       scm.getFileList.mockResolvedValue([]);
@@ -171,6 +172,7 @@ describe('workers/repository/onboarding/branch/index', () => {
       GlobalConfig.set({
         onboarding: false,
         onboardingBranch: config.onboardingBranch,
+        requireConfig: 'optional',
       });
       const res = await checkOnboardingBranch(config);
       expect(res.repoIsOnboarded).toBeTrue();
@@ -192,6 +194,7 @@ describe('workers/repository/onboarding/branch/index', () => {
       GlobalConfig.set({
         onboarding: false,
         onboardingBranch: config.onboardingBranch,
+        requireConfig: 'ignored',
       });
       const res = await checkOnboardingBranch(config);
       expect(res.repoIsOnboarded).toBeTrue();
@@ -202,6 +205,7 @@ describe('workers/repository/onboarding/branch/index', () => {
       GlobalConfig.set({
         onboarding: false,
         onboardingBranch: config.onboardingBranch,
+        requireConfig: 'required',
       });
       scm.getFileList.mockResolvedValueOnce(['package.json']);
       fs.readLocalFile.mockResolvedValueOnce('{}');
@@ -281,6 +285,10 @@ describe('workers/repository/onboarding/branch/index', () => {
 
     it('detects repo is onboarded via PR', async () => {
       config.requireConfig = 'optional';
+      GlobalConfig.set({
+        onboardingBranch: config.onboardingBranch,
+        requireConfig: 'optional',
+      });
       platform.findPr.mockResolvedValueOnce(mock<Pr>());
       const res = await checkOnboardingBranch(config);
       expect(res.repoIsOnboarded).toBeTrue();
diff --git a/lib/workers/repository/onboarding/pr/index.spec.ts b/lib/workers/repository/onboarding/pr/index.spec.ts
index 52d6a440f1e..1c8794b11e7 100644
--- a/lib/workers/repository/onboarding/pr/index.spec.ts
+++ b/lib/workers/repository/onboarding/pr/index.spec.ts
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ describe('workers/repository/onboarding/pr/index', () => {
       GlobalConfig.set({
         onboardingBranch: config.onboardingBranch,
         onboardingPrTitle: 'Configure Renovate', // default value
+        requireConfig: config.requireConfig,
       });
       InheritConfig.reset();
     });
@@ -465,6 +466,11 @@ describe('workers/repository/onboarding/pr/index', () => {
 
     it('creates PR (no require config)', async () => {
       config.requireConfig = 'optional';
+      GlobalConfig.set({
+        onboardingBranch: config.onboardingBranch,
+        onboardingPrTitle: 'Configure Renovate',
+        requireConfig: 'optional',
+      });
       await ensureOnboardingPr(config, packageFiles, branches);
       expect(platform.createPr).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
     });
diff --git a/lib/workers/repository/onboarding/pr/index.ts b/lib/workers/repository/onboarding/pr/index.ts
index f3cfbccd293..6cc4e0da44a 100644
--- a/lib/workers/repository/onboarding/pr/index.ts
+++ b/lib/workers/repository/onboarding/pr/index.ts
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ export async function ensureOnboardingPr(
     config.productLinks!.homepage
   })! This is an onboarding PR to help you understand and configure settings before regular Pull Requests begin.\n\n`;
   prTemplate +=
-    config.requireConfig === 'required'
+    getInheritedOrGlobal('requireConfig') === 'required'
       ? emojify(
           `:vertical_traffic_light: To activate Renovate, merge this Pull Request. To disable Renovate, simply close this Pull Request unmerged.\n\n`,
         )