diff --git a/R/release.R b/R/release.R
index 1748b3544..e17d9abcc 100644
--- a/R/release.R
+++ b/R/release.R
@@ -534,10 +534,11 @@ author_has_rstudio_email <- function() {
 pkg_minimum_r_version <- function() {
   deps <- proj_desc()$get_deps()
   r_dep <- deps[deps$package == "R" & deps$type == "Depends", "version"]
-  if (length(r_dep) == 0) {
-    return(numeric_version("0"))
+  if (length(r_dep) > 0) {
+    numeric_version(gsub("[^0-9.]", "", r_dep))
+  } else {
+    numeric_version(NA_character_)
   }
-  numeric_version(gsub("[^0-9.]", "", r_dep))
 }
 
 # Borrowed from pak, but modified also retain user's non-cran repos:
diff --git a/R/upkeep.R b/R/upkeep.R
index 84f88657a..6f93573c7 100644
--- a/R/upkeep.R
+++ b/R/upkeep.R
@@ -243,6 +243,7 @@ tidy_upkeep_checklist <- function(last_upkeep = last_upkeep_year(),
     )
   }
 
+  minimum_r_version <- pkg_minimum_r_version()
   bullets <- c(
     bullets,
     "### To finish",
@@ -250,7 +251,7 @@ tidy_upkeep_checklist <- function(last_upkeep = last_upkeep_year(),
     todo("`usethis::use_mit_license()`", grepl("MIT", desc$get_field("License"))),
     todo(
       '`usethis::use_package("R", "Depends", "{tidy_minimum_r_version()}")`',
-      tidy_minimum_r_version() > pkg_minimum_r_version()
+      is.na(minimum_r_version) || tidy_minimum_r_version() > minimum_r_version
     ),
     todo("`usethis::use_tidy_description()`"),
     todo("`usethis::use_tidy_github_actions()`"),