diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 8774db7..138b1c7 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-PYTHON ?= $(shell which python3 >/dev/null && echo python3 || echo python)
+PYTHON ?= $(shell command -v python3 >/dev/null && echo python3 || echo python)
 
 all $(MAKECMDGOALS):
 	@$(PYTHON) \
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ all $(MAKECMDGOALS):
 		$(MAKECMDGOALS)
 
 git-submodules:
-	@if [ ! -f releng/meson/meson.py ]; then \
+	@if [ ! -f releng/meson/meson.py ] || git submodule status 2>/dev/null | grep -q '^-'; then \
 		git submodule update --init --recursive --depth 1; \
 	fi
 -include git-submodules
diff --git a/configure b/configure
index a4d189a..12b51a2 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 #!/bin/sh
 
-[ -z "$PYTHON" ] && PYTHON=$(which python3 >/dev/null && echo python3 || echo python)
+[ -z "$PYTHON" ] && PYTHON=$(command -v python3 >/dev/null && echo python3 || echo python)
 
 cd $(dirname $0)
 
 srcroot=$(pwd)
 
-if [ ! -f releng/meson/meson.py ]; then
+if [ ! -f releng/meson/meson.py ] || git submodule status 2>/dev/null | grep -q '^-'; then
   git submodule update --init --recursive --depth 1 || exit $?
 fi