diff --git a/Makefile.inc b/Makefile.inc
index a372efaedc..ce70a30c0f 100644
--- a/Makefile.inc
+++ b/Makefile.inc
@@ -193,6 +193,8 @@ endif
 ifneq ($(UPDATED_SUBMODULES),1)
 # try to fetch non-optional submodules if the source is under git
 forgetthis:=$(if $(GIT),$(shell git submodule update --init))
+# Checkout Cmocka repository
+forgetthis:=$(if $(GIT),$(shell git submodule update --init --checkout 3rdparty/cmocka))
 ifeq ($(CONFIG_USE_BLOBS),y)
 # These items are necessary because each has update=none in .gitmodules.  They are ignored
 # until expressly requested and enabled with --checkout
diff --git a/tests/Makefile.inc b/tests/Makefile.inc
index 48bd18b2ba..fd3cd9f8d1 100644
--- a/tests/Makefile.inc
+++ b/tests/Makefile.inc
@@ -41,9 +41,6 @@ TEST_CFLAGS += -std=gnu11 -Os -ffunction-sections -fdata-sections -fno-builtin
 
 TEST_CFLAGS += -D__TEST__
 
-# Checkout Cmocka repository
-forgetthis:=$(shell git submodule update --init --checkout 3rdparty/cmocka)
-
 TEST_CFLAGS += -I$(cmockasrc)/include
 
 # Link against Cmocka