diff --git a/lib/util/package-rules/index.ts b/lib/util/package-rules/index.ts
index 43c8acfcd71a32..9484d09dd5f7df 100644
--- a/lib/util/package-rules/index.ts
+++ b/lib/util/package-rules/index.ts
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ function matchesRule(
     matchApplied = true;
 
     if (!is.truthy(isMatch)) {
-      positiveMatch = false;
+      return false;
     }
   }
 
@@ -38,11 +38,6 @@ function matchesRule(
     positiveMatch = true;
   }
 
-  // nothing has been matched
-  if (!positiveMatch) {
-    return false;
-  }
-
   // excludes
   for (const groupExcludes of matchers) {
     const isExclude = matcherOR(
diff --git a/lib/util/package-rules/utils.ts b/lib/util/package-rules/utils.ts
index 629486271523a3..7f48742c5119fa 100644
--- a/lib/util/package-rules/utils.ts
+++ b/lib/util/package-rules/utils.ts
@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@ export function matcherOR(
   inputConfig: PackageRuleInputConfig,
   packageRule: PackageRule
 ): boolean | null {
-  let positiveMatch = false;
   let matchApplied = false;
   for (const matcher of groupMatchers) {
     let isMatch;
@@ -29,10 +28,10 @@ export function matcherOR(
     matchApplied = true;
 
     if (is.truthy(isMatch)) {
-      positiveMatch = true;
+      return true;
     }
   }
-  return matchApplied ? positiveMatch : null;
+  return matchApplied ? false : null;
 }
 
 export function massagePattern(pattern: string): string {