diff --git a/autogen.sh b/autogen.sh
index 97970dfa0..6f5a2d5aa 100755
--- a/autogen.sh
+++ b/autogen.sh
@@ -17,6 +17,9 @@
 
 # Only there to make jhbuild happy
 
+git submodule init
+git submodule update
+
 rm -rf ./build
 mkdir build
 meson build $@