diff --git a/doc/INSTALL.md b/doc/INSTALL.md
index c854bdd16..ec6aeb02b 100644
--- a/doc/INSTALL.md
+++ b/doc/INSTALL.md
@@ -385,7 +385,7 @@ Clone lightning:
 ```
 git clone https://github.com/ElementsProject/lightning.git
 cd lightning
-git submodule update --init
+git submodule update --init --recursive
 ```
 Build and install:
 ```
diff --git a/tools/refresh-submodules.sh b/tools/refresh-submodules.sh
index f5a01686a..bedb8f3af 100755
--- a/tools/refresh-submodules.sh
+++ b/tools/refresh-submodules.sh
@@ -38,5 +38,5 @@ if [ "$(git submodule status "$@" | grep -c '^ ')" != $# ]; then
     echo Reinitializing submodules "$@" ...
     git submodule sync "$@"
     rm -rf "$@"
-    git submodule update --init "$@"
+    git submodule update --init --recursive "$@"
 fi