diff --git a/src/Dialogs/CloneRepositoryDialog.vala b/src/Dialogs/CloneRepositoryDialog.vala
index 8a0e2dfa4..ddf9bdf59 100644
--- a/src/Dialogs/CloneRepositoryDialog.vala
+++ b/src/Dialogs/CloneRepositoryDialog.vala
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ public class Scratch.Dialogs.CloneRepositoryDialog : Granite.MessageDialog {
     private Gtk.Spinner spinner;
 
     public bool can_clone { get; private set; default = false; }
+    public bool update_submodules { get; set; default = true; }
     public string suggested_local_folder { get; construct; }
     public string suggested_remote { get; construct; }
 
@@ -114,10 +115,16 @@ public class Scratch.Dialogs.CloneRepositoryDialog : Granite.MessageDialog {
         };
         local_project_name_entry.changed.connect (validate_local_name);
 
+        var update_submodules_checkbox = new Gtk.CheckButton.with_label (_("Update submodules")) {
+            margin_top = 12,
+            halign = START
+        };
+        this.bind_property ("update-submodules", update_submodules_checkbox, "active", BIDIRECTIONAL | SYNC_CREATE );
         var content_box = new Gtk.Box (VERTICAL, 0);
         content_box.add (new CloneEntry (_("Repository URL"), remote_repository_uri_entry));
         content_box.add (new CloneEntry (_("Location"), folder_chooser_button));
         content_box.add (new CloneEntry (_("Name of Clone"), local_project_name_entry));
+        content_box.add (update_submodules_checkbox);
 
         var cloning_label = new Granite.HeaderLabel (_("Cloning in progress"));
         spinner = new Gtk.Spinner ();
diff --git a/src/MainWindow.vala b/src/MainWindow.vala
index 10e02af36..e73860f9e 100644
--- a/src/MainWindow.vala
+++ b/src/MainWindow.vala
@@ -1064,6 +1064,7 @@ namespace Scratch {
                     git_manager.clone_repository.begin (
                         uri,
                         target,
+                        clone_dialog.update_submodules,
                         (obj, res) => {
                             clone_dialog.cloning_in_progress = false;
                             File? workdir = null;
@@ -1071,14 +1072,26 @@ namespace Scratch {
                             if (git_manager.clone_repository.end (res, out workdir, out error)) {
                                 open_folder (workdir);
                                 clone_dialog.destroy ();
+                                var primary_text = "";
+                                if (error == null) {
+                                    primary_text = _("Repository %s successfully cloned").printf (uri);
+                                } else {
+                                    // e.g. Problem updating submodules
+                                    primary_text = _("Repository %s cloned with error").printf (uri);
+                                }
                                 var message_dialog = new Granite.MessageDialog.with_image_from_icon_name (
-                                    _("Repository %s successfully cloned").printf (uri),
+                                    primary_text,
                                     _("Local repository working directory is %s").printf (workdir.get_uri ()),
                                     "dialog-information",
                                     Gtk.ButtonsType.CLOSE
                                 ) {
                                     transient_for = this
                                 };
+
+                                if (error != null) {
+                                    message_dialog.show_error_details (error);
+                                }
+
                                 message_dialog.response.connect (message_dialog.destroy);
                                 message_dialog.present ();
                             } else {
diff --git a/src/Services/GitManager.vala b/src/Services/GitManager.vala
index 5b80d3084..d936f72a6 100644
--- a/src/Services/GitManager.vala
+++ b/src/Services/GitManager.vala
@@ -116,6 +116,7 @@ namespace Scratch.Services {
         public async bool clone_repository (
             string uri,
             string local_folder,
+            bool update_submodules,
             out File? repo_workdir,
             out string? error
         ) {
@@ -144,9 +145,15 @@ namespace Scratch.Services {
                         folder_file,
                         clone_options
                     );
+
+                    if (update_submodules) {
+                        new_repo.submodule_foreach ((submodule, name) => {
+                            submodule.update (true, null);
+                            return 0;
+                        });
+                    }
                 } catch (Error e) {
                     e_message = e.message;
-                    new_repo = null;
                 }
 
                 Idle.add ((owned)callback);
@@ -155,7 +162,9 @@ namespace Scratch.Services {
             yield;
             if (new_repo != null) {
                 repo_workdir = new_repo.get_workdir ();
-            } else {
+            }
+
+            if (e_message != "") {
                 error = e_message;
             }