diff --git a/.github/dependabot.yml b/.github/dependabot.yml
index 0dcfee1f96e..04d16f93e40 100644
--- a/.github/dependabot.yml
+++ b/.github/dependabot.yml
@@ -37,6 +37,10 @@ updates:
   # We don't want to get a pull request every day for insignificant changes.
   - package-ecosystem: 'pip'
     directory: '/api'
+    # Specify a branch here (but _not_ in the block above), to work
+    # around uniqueness requirement on the directory.
+    # https://github.com/dependabot/dependabot-core/issues/1778#issuecomment-1988140291
+    target-branch: master
     schedule:
       interval: 'weekly'
       day: 'wednesday'