diff --git a/.github/workflows/labels.yml b/.github/workflows/labels.yml
index c2b33ef8adba..38f5071efebd 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/labels.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/labels.yml
@@ -255,6 +255,13 @@ jobs:
 
                 const stale_at = new Date(new Date().setDate(new Date().getDate() - 180))
 
+                // After creation of a Pull Request, `merge_commit_sha` will be null initially:
+                // The very first merge commit will only be calculated after a little while.
+                // To avoid labeling the PR as conflicted before that, we wait a few minutes.
+                // This is intentionally less than the time that Eval takes, so that the label job
+                // running after Eval can indeed label the PR as conflicted if that is the case.
+                const merge_commit_sha_valid = new Date() - new Date(pull_request.created_at) > 3 * 60 * 1000
+
                 // Manage most of the labels, without eval results
                 const after = Object.assign(
                   {},
@@ -271,7 +278,7 @@ jobs:
                     // On the first pass of the day, we just fetch the pull request, which triggers
                     // the creation. At this stage, the label is likely not updated, yet.
                     // The second pass will then read the result from the first pass and set the label.
-                    '2.status: merge conflict': !pull_request.merge_commit_sha,
+                    '2.status: merge conflict': merge_commit_sha_valid && !pull_request.merge_commit_sha,
                     '2.status: stale': !before['1.severity: security'] && latest_event_at < stale_at,
                     '12.approvals: 1': approvals.size == 1,
                     '12.approvals: 2': approvals.size == 2,