diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index 54c4840fdb259f2071581f3f40d29b4036bd7a0e..afd8e0988aefbe0b1ca99e4c39cd79373d9d5445 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ variables:
   GIT_DEPTH: 0
   GIT_STRATEGY: clone
   # only build steps needs to have access to the hive submodule
-  GIT_SUBMODULE_STRATEGY: none
+  GIT_SUBMODULE_STRATEGY: normal
   # uses registry.gitlab.syncad.com/hive/wax/ci-base-image:ubuntu22.04-3
   CI_BASE_IMAGE_TAG: "@sha256:f263bfa8a0ea40a29d99d147601171fb6320c447abc8f3ab1e9082cd51a2254a"
   CI_BASE_IMAGE: "registry.gitlab.syncad.com/hive/wax/ci-base-image${CI_BASE_IMAGE_TAG}"