diff --git a/include/git.sh b/include/git.sh
index 7d06479a..e361cb41 100755
--- a/include/git.sh
+++ b/include/git.sh
@@ -65,14 +65,9 @@ prepare_new_tree()
 	cp -R "src/${project}/${project}" "${tmp_git_dir}" || \
 	    err "prepare_new_tree ${project}/${tree}: can't make tmpclone"
 	git_reset_rev "${tmp_git_dir}" "${rev}"
-	(
-	cd "${tmp_git_dir}" || \
-	    err "prepare_new_tree ${project}/${tree}: can't cd tmpclone"
-	if [ -f ".gitmodules" ]; then
-		git submodule update --init --checkout || \
-		    err "prepare_new_tree ${project}/${tree}: !submodules"
-	fi
-	) || err "git submodule update failure"
+	[ ! -f "${tmp_git_dir}/.gitmodules" ] || \
+		git -C "${tmp_git_dir}" submodule update --init --checkout \
+		    || err "prepare_new_tree ${project}/${tree}: !submodules"
 	git_am_patches "${tmp_git_dir}" "$PWD/$cfgsdir/$tree/patches" || \
 	    err "prepare_new_tree ${project}/${tree}: patch fail"
 	[ "${patchfail}" = "y" ] && err "PATCH FAIL"