The probability for quantum creation of an inflationary universe with a pair of black holes has been studied in semiclassical approximation with Hartle–Hawking boundary conditions, assuming a gravitational action which includes a quadratic term in the scalar curvature αR2, α being a constant. The action of the instanton responsible for creating such a universe, with a spatial section with S1×S2 topology, is seen to be less than that of a de Sitter S3 instanton, unless α<-1/(8Λ), where Λ is the cosmological constant. Since negative α implies a classical instability, the probability for production of primordial black holes seems to be suppressd in R2-theory.