diff --git a/include/git.sh b/include/git.sh
index 1ad84d11..2bf3b761 100755
--- a/include/git.sh
+++ b/include/git.sh
@@ -10,8 +10,6 @@ git_reset_rev()
 	cd "${sdir}" || "${_fail}" "cannot cd to ${sdir}"
 	git reset --hard ${_rev} || \
 	    "${_fail}" "cannot git reset ${sdir} <- ${rev}"
-	git submodule update --init --checkout || \
-	    "${_fail}" "cannot update git modules <- ${sdir}"
 	)
 }
 
diff --git a/script/update/project/trees b/script/update/project/trees
index af8e4ed0..084ef1e3 100755
--- a/script/update/project/trees
+++ b/script/update/project/trees
@@ -146,6 +146,13 @@ prepare_new_tree()
 	git_reset_rev "${project}/${tree}" "${rev}" "err" || \
 	    err "prepare_new_trees ${project}/${tree}: cannot reset <- ${rev}"
 
+	(
+	cd "${project}/${tree}" || \
+	    err "prepare_new_tree: !cd \"${project}/${tree}\""
+	git submodule update --init --checkout || \
+	    err "prepare_new_tree ${project}/${tree}: can't update git modules"
+	)
+
 	git_am_patches "${PWD}/${project}/${tree}" \
 	    "${PWD}/${cfgsdir}/${tree}/patches" "err" || \
 	    err "prepare_new_trees ${project}/${tree}: cannot apply patches"