diff --git a/Makefile.inc b/Makefile.inc
index e76d890f69..de8c734f2a 100644
--- a/Makefile.inc
+++ b/Makefile.inc
@@ -190,31 +190,33 @@ ramstage-generic-ccopts += -D__RAMSTAGE__
 ifeq ($(CONFIG_COVERAGE),y)
 ramstage-c-ccopts += -fprofile-arcs -ftest-coverage
 endif
+ifneq ($(GIT),)
 ifneq ($(UPDATED_SUBMODULES),1)
 $(info Updating git submodules.)
 # try to fetch non-optional submodules if the source is under git
-forgetthis:=$(if $(GIT),$(shell git submodule update --init $(quiet_errors)))
+forgetthis:=$(shell git submodule update --init $(quiet_errors))
 # Checkout Cmocka repository
-forgetthis:=$(if $(GIT),$(shell git submodule update --init --checkout 3rdparty/cmocka $(quiet_errors)))
+forgetthis:=$(shell git submodule update --init --checkout 3rdparty/cmocka $(quiet_errors))
 ifeq ($(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
-forgetthis:=$(if $(GIT),$(shell git submodule update --init --checkout 3rdparty/blobs $(quiet_errors)))
-forgetthis:=$(if $(GIT),$(shell git submodule update --init --checkout 3rdparty/intel-microcode $(quiet_errors)))
+forgetthis:=$(shell git submodule update --init --checkout 3rdparty/blobs $(quiet_errors))
+forgetthis:=$(shell git submodule update --init --checkout 3rdparty/intel-microcode $(quiet_errors))
 ifeq ($(CONFIG_FSP_USE_REPO),y)
-forgetthis:=$(if $(GIT),$(shell git submodule update --init --checkout 3rdparty/fsp $(quiet_errors)))
+forgetthis:=$(shell git submodule update --init --checkout 3rdparty/fsp $(quiet_errors))
 endif
 ifeq ($(CONFIG_USE_AMD_BLOBS),y)
-forgetthis:=$(if $(GIT),$(shell git submodule update --init --checkout 3rdparty/amd_blobs $(quiet_errors)))
+forgetthis:=$(shell git submodule update --init --checkout 3rdparty/amd_blobs $(quiet_errors))
 endif
 ifeq ($(CONFIG_USE_QC_BLOBS),y)
-forgetthis:=$(if $(GIT),$(shell git submodule update --init --checkout 3rdparty/qc_blobs $(quiet_errors)))
+forgetthis:=$(shell git submodule update --init --checkout 3rdparty/qc_blobs $(quiet_errors))
 endif
 endif
 UPDATED_SUBMODULES:=1
 COREBOOT_EXPORTS += UPDATED_SUBMODULES
 
 endif
+endif # GIT != ""
 
 postcar-c-deps:=$$(OPTION_TABLE_H)
 ramstage-c-deps:=$$(OPTION_TABLE_H)