diff --git a/.github/scripts/check-commit.sh b/.github/scripts/check-commit.sh
index cd3199d1..bb2ba376 100755
--- a/.github/scripts/check-commit.sh
+++ b/.github/scripts/check-commit.sh
@@ -17,15 +17,15 @@ git config submodule.vlsi/hammer-cadence-plugins.update none
 git config submodule.vlsi/hammer-mentor-plugins.update none
 git config submodule.vlsi/hammer-synopsys-plugins.update none
 
+# initialize submodules and get the hashes
+git submodule update --init
+status=$(git submodule status)
+
 all_names=()
 
 
 search_submodule() {
     echo "Running check on submodule $submodule in $dir"
-    # Initialize submodule and get the hashes
-    git submodule update --init $dir/$submodule
-
-    status=$(git submodule status)
     hash=$(echo "$status" | grep "$dir.*$submodule " | awk '{print$1}' | grep -o "[[:alnum:]]*")
     for branch in "${branches[@]}"
     do