diff --git a/pkg/git/fetch.go b/pkg/git/fetch.go
index 8725045d3..990f30960 100644
--- a/pkg/git/fetch.go
+++ b/pkg/git/fetch.go
@@ -71,6 +71,23 @@ func (f Fetcher) Fetch(dir, gitURL, gitRevision, metadataDir string) error {
 		return errors.Wrapf(err, "checking out revision")
 	}
 
+	submodules, err := worktree.Submodules()
+	if err != nil {
+		return errors.Wrapf(err, "getting submodules")
+	}
+
+	for _, submodule := range submodules {
+		f.Logger.Printf("Updating submodule %v", submodule.Config().URL)
+		submoduleAuth, err := f.Keychain.Resolve(submodule.Config().URL)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		err = submodule.Update(&gogit.SubmoduleUpdateOptions{Auth: submoduleAuth, Init: true, RecurseSubmodules: gogit.DefaultSubmoduleRecursionDepth })
+		if err != nil {
+			return errors.Wrapf(err, "updating submodules")
+		}
+	}
+
 	projectMetadataFile, err := os.Create(path.Join(metadataDir, "project-metadata.toml"))
 	if err != nil {
 		return errors.Wrapf(err, "invalid metadata destination '%s/project-metadata.toml' for git repository: %s", metadataDir, gitURL)
diff --git a/pkg/git/fetch_test.go b/pkg/git/fetch_test.go
index 7d32ddd07..a0784f69d 100644
--- a/pkg/git/fetch_test.go
+++ b/pkg/git/fetch_test.go
@@ -106,6 +106,16 @@ func testGitCheckout(t *testing.T, when spec.G, it spec.S) {
 			err := fetcher.Fetch(testDir, "git@bitbucket.com:org/repo", "main", metadataDir)
 			require.ErrorContains(t, err, "unable to fetch references for repository")
 		})
+
+        it("initializes submodules", func() {
+            err := fetcher.Fetch(testDir, "https://github.com/git-fixtures/submodule", "master", metadataDir)
+            require.NoError(t, err)
+
+            _, err = os.Lstat(path.Join(testDir, "basic", ".gitignore"))
+			require.NoError(t, err)
+
+
+        })
 	})
 }