diff --git a/__snapshots__/generic-json.js b/__snapshots__/generic-json.js
index 7bc725d39..78d6383ef 100644
--- a/__snapshots__/generic-json.js
+++ b/__snapshots__/generic-json.js
@@ -46,3 +46,14 @@ exports['GenericJson updateContent updates matching entry 1'] = `
 }
 
 `
+
+exports['GenericJson updateContent updates substring in matching entry 1'] = `
+{
+  "$schema": "https://docs.renovatebot.com/renovate-schema.json",
+  "extends": [
+    "github>abc/foo:xyz/sub#2.3.4",
+    "github>abc/bar:xyz/sub#2.3.4"
+  ]
+}
+
+`
diff --git a/src/updaters/generic-json.ts b/src/updaters/generic-json.ts
index 64d7355c9..95e822b29 100644
--- a/src/updaters/generic-json.ts
+++ b/src/updaters/generic-json.ts
@@ -18,6 +18,9 @@ import * as jp from 'jsonpath';
 import {jsonStringify} from '../util/json-stringify';
 import {logger as defaultLogger, Logger} from '../util/logger';
 
+const VERSION_REGEX =
+  /(?<major>\d+)\.(?<minor>\d+)\.(?<patch>\d+)(-(?<preRelease>[\w.]+))?(\+(?<build>[-\w.]+))?/;
+
 export class GenericJson implements Updater {
   readonly jsonpath: string;
   readonly version: Version;
@@ -33,8 +36,16 @@ export class GenericJson implements Updater {
    */
   updateContent(content: string, logger: Logger = defaultLogger): string {
     const data = JSON.parse(content);
-    const nodes = jp.apply(data, this.jsonpath, _val => {
-      return this.version.toString();
+    const nodes = jp.apply(data, this.jsonpath, value => {
+      if (typeof value !== 'string') {
+        logger.warn(`No string in ${this.jsonpath}. Skipping.`);
+        return value;
+      }
+      if (!value.match(VERSION_REGEX)) {
+        logger.warn(`No version found in ${this.jsonpath}. Skipping.`);
+        return value;
+      }
+      return value.replace(VERSION_REGEX, this.version.toString());
     });
     if (!nodes) {
       logger.warn(`No entries modified in ${this.jsonpath}`);
diff --git a/test/updaters/fixtures/renovate-shared-preset.json b/test/updaters/fixtures/renovate-shared-preset.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..1f0caca2d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/updaters/fixtures/renovate-shared-preset.json
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+{
+  "$schema": "https://docs.renovatebot.com/renovate-schema.json",
+  "extends": [
+    "github>abc/foo:xyz/sub#1.2.3",
+    "github>abc/bar:xyz/sub#1.2.3"
+  ]
+}
diff --git a/test/updaters/generic-json.ts b/test/updaters/generic-json.ts
index 00431bc68..d25cf6d9e 100644
--- a/test/updaters/generic-json.ts
+++ b/test/updaters/generic-json.ts
@@ -45,6 +45,15 @@ describe('GenericJson', () => {
       const newContent = updater.updateContent(oldContent);
       snapshot(newContent);
     });
+    it('updates substring in matching entry', async () => {
+      const oldContent = readFileSync(
+        resolve(fixturesPath, './renovate-shared-preset.json'),
+        'utf8'
+      ).replace(/\r\n/g, '\n');
+      const updater = new GenericJson('$.extends.*', Version.parse('v2.3.4'));
+      const newContent = updater.updateContent(oldContent);
+      snapshot(newContent);
+    });
     it('ignores non-matching entry', async () => {
       const oldContent = readFileSync(
         resolve(fixturesPath, './esy.json'),
@@ -54,6 +63,24 @@ describe('GenericJson', () => {
       const newContent = updater.updateContent(oldContent);
       expect(newContent).to.eql(oldContent);
     });
+    it('ignore array entry', async () => {
+      const oldContent = readFileSync(
+        resolve(fixturesPath, './renovate-shared-preset.json'),
+        'utf8'
+      ).replace(/\r\n/g, '\n');
+      const updater = new GenericJson('$.extends', Version.parse('v2.3.4'));
+      const newContent = updater.updateContent(oldContent);
+      expect(newContent).to.eql(oldContent);
+    });
+    it('ignore non-matching string', async () => {
+      const oldContent = readFileSync(
+        resolve(fixturesPath, './esy.json'),
+        'utf8'
+      ).replace(/\r\n/g, '\n');
+      const updater = new GenericJson('$.author', Version.parse('v2.3.4'));
+      const newContent = updater.updateContent(oldContent);
+      expect(newContent).to.eql(oldContent);
+    });
     it('warns on invalid jsonpath', async () => {
       const oldContent = readFileSync(
         resolve(fixturesPath, './esy.json'),