diff --git a/docs/usage/configuration-options.md b/docs/usage/configuration-options.md
index f8f559ac78e6f9..f01940c91938e8 100644
--- a/docs/usage/configuration-options.md
+++ b/docs/usage/configuration-options.md
@@ -1912,6 +1912,8 @@ Normally when you set `rebaseWhen=auto` Renovate rebases any branch that's behin
 This behavior is no longer guaranteed when you enable `platformAutomerge` because the platform might automerge a branch which is not up-to-date.
 For example, GitHub might automerge a Renovate branch even if it's behind the base branch at the time.
 
+Please check platform specific docs for version requirements.
+
 ## platformCommit
 
 Only use this option if you run Renovate as a [GitHub App](https://docs.github.com/en/developers/apps/getting-started-with-apps/about-apps).
diff --git a/lib/config/options/index.ts b/lib/config/options/index.ts
index a1673f325247e7..3d62755e85eafa 100644
--- a/lib/config/options/index.ts
+++ b/lib/config/options/index.ts
@@ -2316,6 +2316,7 @@ const options: RenovateOptions[] = [
     name: 'platformAutomerge',
     description: `Controls if platform-native auto-merge is used.`,
     type: 'boolean',
+    supportedPlatforms: ['azure', 'gitea', 'github', 'gitlab'],
     default: false,
   },
   {
diff --git a/lib/modules/platform/gitea/gitea-helper.spec.ts b/lib/modules/platform/gitea/gitea-helper.spec.ts
index d67aed8b1a3391..663a0505619e47 100644
--- a/lib/modules/platform/gitea/gitea-helper.spec.ts
+++ b/lib/modules/platform/gitea/gitea-helper.spec.ts
@@ -351,11 +351,9 @@ describe('modules/platform/gitea/gitea-helper', () => {
         .post(`/repos/${mockRepo.full_name}/pulls/${mockPR.number}/merge`)
         .reply(200);
 
-      const res = await ght.mergePR(
-        mockRepo.full_name,
-        mockPR.number,
-        'rebase'
-      );
+      const res = await ght.mergePR(mockRepo.full_name, mockPR.number, {
+        Do: 'rebase',
+      });
       expect(res).toBeUndefined();
     });
   });
diff --git a/lib/modules/platform/gitea/gitea-helper.ts b/lib/modules/platform/gitea/gitea-helper.ts
index ec257948d5ebbf..f24249de5ecfa0 100644
--- a/lib/modules/platform/gitea/gitea-helper.ts
+++ b/lib/modules/platform/gitea/gitea-helper.ts
@@ -175,9 +175,10 @@ export type PRSearchParams = {
   labels?: number[];
 };
 
-export type PRMergeParams = {
+export interface PRMergeParams {
   Do: PRMergeMethod;
-};
+  merge_when_checks_succeed?: boolean;
+}
 
 export type CommentCreateParams = CommentUpdateParams;
 
@@ -307,10 +308,9 @@ export async function closePR(
 export async function mergePR(
   repoPath: string,
   idx: number,
-  method: PRMergeMethod,
+  params: PRMergeParams,
   options?: GiteaHttpOptions
 ): Promise<void> {
-  const params: PRMergeParams = { Do: method };
   const url = `${API_PATH}/repos/${repoPath}/pulls/${idx}/merge`;
   await giteaHttp.postJson(url, {
     ...options,
diff --git a/lib/modules/platform/gitea/index.md b/lib/modules/platform/gitea/index.md
index 35e13836fa34d7..a9af7ebc483e35 100644
--- a/lib/modules/platform/gitea/index.md
+++ b/lib/modules/platform/gitea/index.md
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ Either the account should have full name and email address set to allow Renovate
 ## Unsupported platform features/concepts
 
 - **Adding reviewers to PRs not supported**: Gitea versions older than v1.14.0 do not have the required API.
+- **Setting `platformAutomerge` to use platform-native automerge for PRs not supported**: Gitea versions older than v1.17.0 do not have the required API.
 
 ## Features awaiting implementation
 
diff --git a/lib/modules/platform/gitea/index.spec.ts b/lib/modules/platform/gitea/index.spec.ts
index b2f7add17d88e8..46b78c215557d8 100644
--- a/lib/modules/platform/gitea/index.spec.ts
+++ b/lib/modules/platform/gitea/index.spec.ts
@@ -1052,6 +1052,98 @@ describe('modules/platform/gitea/index', () => {
         })
       ).rejects.toThrow();
     });
+
+    it('should use platform automerge', async () => {
+      helper.createPR.mockResolvedValueOnce(mockNewPR);
+      await initFakePlatform('1.17.0');
+      await initFakeRepo();
+      const res = await gitea.createPr({
+        sourceBranch: mockNewPR.head.label,
+        targetBranch: 'master',
+        prTitle: mockNewPR.title,
+        prBody: mockNewPR.body,
+        platformOptions: { usePlatformAutomerge: true },
+      });
+
+      expect(res).toHaveProperty('number', mockNewPR.number);
+      expect(res).toHaveProperty('targetBranch', mockNewPR.base.ref);
+
+      expect(helper.createPR).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+      expect(helper.createPR).toHaveBeenCalledWith(mockRepo.full_name, {
+        base: mockNewPR.base.ref,
+        head: mockNewPR.head.label,
+        title: mockNewPR.title,
+        body: mockNewPR.body,
+        labels: [],
+      });
+      expect(helper.mergePR).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+        mockRepo.full_name,
+        mockNewPR.number,
+        {
+          Do: 'rebase',
+          merge_when_checks_succeed: true,
+        }
+      );
+    });
+
+    it('continues on platform automerge error', async () => {
+      helper.createPR.mockResolvedValueOnce(mockNewPR);
+      await initFakePlatform('1.17.0');
+      await initFakeRepo();
+      helper.mergePR.mockRejectedValueOnce(new Error('fake'));
+      const res = await gitea.createPr({
+        sourceBranch: mockNewPR.head.label,
+        targetBranch: 'master',
+        prTitle: mockNewPR.title,
+        prBody: mockNewPR.body,
+        platformOptions: { usePlatformAutomerge: true },
+      });
+
+      expect(res).toHaveProperty('number', mockNewPR.number);
+      expect(res).toHaveProperty('targetBranch', mockNewPR.base.ref);
+
+      expect(helper.createPR).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+      expect(helper.createPR).toHaveBeenCalledWith(mockRepo.full_name, {
+        base: mockNewPR.base.ref,
+        head: mockNewPR.head.label,
+        title: mockNewPR.title,
+        body: mockNewPR.body,
+        labels: [],
+      });
+      expect(helper.mergePR).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+        mockRepo.full_name,
+        mockNewPR.number,
+        {
+          Do: 'rebase',
+          merge_when_checks_succeed: true,
+        }
+      );
+    });
+
+    it('continues if platform automerge is not supported', async () => {
+      helper.createPR.mockResolvedValueOnce(mockNewPR);
+      await initFakeRepo();
+      const res = await gitea.createPr({
+        sourceBranch: mockNewPR.head.label,
+        targetBranch: 'master',
+        prTitle: mockNewPR.title,
+        prBody: mockNewPR.body,
+        platformOptions: { usePlatformAutomerge: true },
+      });
+
+      expect(res).toHaveProperty('number', mockNewPR.number);
+      expect(res).toHaveProperty('targetBranch', mockNewPR.base.ref);
+
+      expect(helper.createPR).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+      expect(helper.createPR).toHaveBeenCalledWith(mockRepo.full_name, {
+        base: mockNewPR.base.ref,
+        head: mockNewPR.head.label,
+        title: mockNewPR.title,
+        body: mockNewPR.body,
+        labels: [],
+      });
+      expect(helper.mergePR).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    });
   });
 
   describe('updatePr', () => {
@@ -1127,11 +1219,9 @@ describe('modules/platform/gitea/index', () => {
         })
       ).toBe(true);
       expect(helper.mergePR).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
-      expect(helper.mergePR).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
-        mockRepo.full_name,
-        1,
-        'rebase'
-      );
+      expect(helper.mergePR).toHaveBeenCalledWith(mockRepo.full_name, 1, {
+        Do: 'rebase',
+      });
     });
 
     it('should return false when merging fails', async () => {
diff --git a/lib/modules/platform/gitea/index.ts b/lib/modules/platform/gitea/index.ts
index 84775f81754bcc..c09f551d9efc99 100644
--- a/lib/modules/platform/gitea/index.ts
+++ b/lib/modules/platform/gitea/index.ts
@@ -487,6 +487,7 @@ const platform: Platform = {
     prTitle,
     prBody: rawBody,
     labels: labelNames,
+    platformOptions,
     draftPR,
   }: CreatePRConfig): Promise<Pr> {
     let title = prTitle;
@@ -510,6 +511,33 @@ const platform: Platform = {
         labels: labels.filter(is.number),
       });
 
+      if (platformOptions?.usePlatformAutomerge) {
+        if (semver.gte(defaults.version, '1.17.0')) {
+          try {
+            await helper.mergePR(config.repository, gpr.number, {
+              // TODO: pass strategy (#16884)
+              Do: config.mergeMethod,
+              merge_when_checks_succeed: true,
+            });
+
+            logger.debug(
+              { prNumber: gpr.number },
+              'Gitea-native automerge: success'
+            );
+          } catch (err) {
+            logger.warn(
+              { err, prNumber: gpr.number },
+              'Gitea-native automerge: fail'
+            );
+          }
+        } else {
+          logger.debug(
+            { prNumber: gpr.number },
+            'Gitea-native automerge: not supported on this version of Gitea. Use 1.17.0 or newer.'
+          );
+        }
+      }
+
       const pr = toRenovatePR(gpr);
       if (!pr) {
         throw new Error('Can not parse newly created Pull Request');
@@ -583,11 +611,9 @@ const platform: Platform = {
 
   async mergePr({ id, strategy }: MergePRConfig): Promise<boolean> {
     try {
-      await helper.mergePR(
-        config.repository,
-        id,
-        getMergeMethod(strategy) ?? config.mergeMethod
-      );
+      await helper.mergePR(config.repository, id, {
+        Do: getMergeMethod(strategy) ?? config.mergeMethod,
+      });
       return true;
     } catch (err) {
       logger.warn({ err, id }, 'Merging of PR failed');