diff --git a/gradle/changelog/svn_mirror_update.yaml b/gradle/changelog/svn_mirror_update.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..b51038f675
--- /dev/null
+++ b/gradle/changelog/svn_mirror_update.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+- type: Fixed
+  description: Fix svn mirror update if first initialization failed before ([#1745](https://github.com/scm-manager/scm-manager/pull/1745))
diff --git a/scm-plugins/scm-svn-plugin/src/main/java/sonia/scm/repository/spi/SvnMirrorCommand.java b/scm-plugins/scm-svn-plugin/src/main/java/sonia/scm/repository/spi/SvnMirrorCommand.java
index d0d1c94ccd..cb47e21966 100644
--- a/scm-plugins/scm-svn-plugin/src/main/java/sonia/scm/repository/spi/SvnMirrorCommand.java
+++ b/scm-plugins/scm-svn-plugin/src/main/java/sonia/scm/repository/spi/SvnMirrorCommand.java
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ public class SvnMirrorCommand extends AbstractSvnCommand implements MirrorComman
       SVNURL url = createUrlForLocalRepository();
       SVNAdminClient admin = createAdminClient(url, mirrorCommandRequest);
 
-      consumer.accept(admin);
+      handleConsumer(mirrorCommandRequest, consumer, url, admin);
       afterUpdate = context.open().getLatestRevision();
     } catch (SVNException e) {
       LOG.info("Could not mirror svn repository", e);
@@ -104,6 +104,19 @@ public class SvnMirrorCommand extends AbstractSvnCommand implements MirrorComman
     );
   }
 
+  private void handleConsumer(MirrorCommandRequest mirrorCommandRequest, AdminConsumer consumer, SVNURL url, SVNAdminClient admin) throws SVNException {
+    try {
+      consumer.accept(admin);
+    } catch (SVNException e) {
+      if (e.getMessage().equals("svn: E204899: Destination repository has not been initialized")) {
+        SVNURL source = SVNURL.parseURIEncoded(mirrorCommandRequest.getSourceUrl());
+        admin.doCompleteSynchronize(source, url);
+      } else {
+        throw e;
+      }
+    }
+  }
+
   private SVNURL createUrlForLocalRepository() {
     try {
       return SVNURL.fromFile(context.getDirectory());
diff --git a/scm-plugins/scm-svn-plugin/src/test/java/sonia/scm/repository/spi/SvnMirrorCommandTest.java b/scm-plugins/scm-svn-plugin/src/test/java/sonia/scm/repository/spi/SvnMirrorCommandTest.java
index 93dd81b998..14088e848d 100644
--- a/scm-plugins/scm-svn-plugin/src/test/java/sonia/scm/repository/spi/SvnMirrorCommandTest.java
+++ b/scm-plugins/scm-svn-plugin/src/test/java/sonia/scm/repository/spi/SvnMirrorCommandTest.java
@@ -82,6 +82,14 @@ public class SvnMirrorCommandTest extends AbstractSvnCommandTestBase {
     assertThat(result.getLog()).contains("Updated from revision 0 to revision 5");
   }
 
+  @Test
+  public void shouldDoMirrorUpdateOnNotInitializedRepo() {
+    MirrorCommandResult result = callMirrorUpdate(emptyContext, repositoryDirectory);
+
+    assertThat(result.getResult()).isEqualTo(OK);
+    assertThat(result.getLog()).contains("Updated from revision 0 to revision 5");
+  }
+
   @Test
   public void shouldUseCredentials() {
     MirrorCommandResult result = callMirror(emptyContext, repositoryDirectory, createCredential("svnadmin", "secret"));