diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index c86c648186..0e7febdce2 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -62,6 +62,7 @@ stages:
 
 variables:
   GIT_DEPTH: "1"
+  GIT_SUBMODULE_STRATEGY: recursive
   ARTIFACTS_SUFFIX: "-x64"
   GIMP_PREFIX: "${CI_PROJECT_DIR}/_install${ARTIFACTS_SUFFIX}"
 
@@ -248,7 +249,6 @@ deps-debian-gcc:
   before_script:
     # Universal variables
     - !reference [.default, before_script]
-    - git submodule update --init
     - mkdir -p _build${ARTIFACTS_SUFFIX} && cd _build${ARTIFACTS_SUFFIX}
   after_script:
     - ccache --show-stats
@@ -341,7 +341,6 @@ packaging-flatpak-x64:
     - flatpak
   image: 'quay.io/gnome_infrastructure/gnome-runtime-images:gnome-master'
   variables:
-    GIT_SUBMODULE_STRATEGY: normal
     # Replace with your manifest path
     MANIFEST_PATH: "build/flatpak/org.gimp.GIMP-nightly.json"
     RUNTIME_REPO: "https://nightly.gnome.org/gnome-nightly.flatpakrepo"
diff --git a/build/windows/gitlab-ci/1_build-deps-crossroad.sh b/build/windows/gitlab-ci/1_build-deps-crossroad.sh
index 51b1f09077..bf6337135e 100644
--- a/build/windows/gitlab-ci/1_build-deps-crossroad.sh
+++ b/build/windows/gitlab-ci/1_build-deps-crossroad.sh
@@ -1,11 +1,16 @@
 #!/bin/sh
 
+if [ -z "$GIT_DEPTH" ]; then
+  export GIT_DEPTH=1
+fi
+
+
 # BASH ENV
 if [[ -z "$CROSSROAD_PLATFORM" ]]; then
 apt-get install -y --no-install-recommends \
                    wine \
                    wine64
-git clone --depth=${GIT_DEPTH} https://gitlab.freedesktop.org/crossroad/crossroad.git
+git clone --depth $GIT_DEPTH https://gitlab.freedesktop.org/crossroad/crossroad.git
 cd crossroad
 ./setup.py install --prefix=`pwd`/../.local
 cd ..
@@ -29,8 +34,8 @@ fi
 
 ## Clone babl and GEGL (follow master branch)
 mkdir _deps && cd _deps
-git clone --depth 1 https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/babl.git _babl
-git clone --depth 1 https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/gegl.git _gegl
+git clone --depth $GIT_DEPTH https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/babl.git _babl
+git clone --depth $GIT_DEPTH https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/gegl.git _gegl
 
 ## Build babl and GEGL
 mkdir _babl/_build${ARTIFACTS_SUFFIX}-cross/ && cd _babl/_build${ARTIFACTS_SUFFIX}-cross/
diff --git a/build/windows/gitlab-ci/1_build-deps-msys2.sh b/build/windows/gitlab-ci/1_build-deps-msys2.sh
index 28252e11fa..3d1a1064fc 100644
--- a/build/windows/gitlab-ci/1_build-deps-msys2.sh
+++ b/build/windows/gitlab-ci/1_build-deps-msys2.sh
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ else
     DEPS_DIR=$(dirname $PWD)
     cd $DEPS_DIR
   fi
-
+  export GIT_DEPTH=1
   pacman --noconfirm -Suy
 fi
 
@@ -61,8 +61,6 @@ fi
 
 
 # Clone babl and GEGL (follow master branch)
-export GIT_DEPTH=1
-
 clone_or_pull ()
 {
   repo="https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/${1}.git"
@@ -76,7 +74,7 @@ clone_or_pull ()
   fi
 
   if [ ! -d "_${1}" ]; then
-    git clone $git_options --depth=${GIT_DEPTH} $repo _${1} || exit 1
+    git clone $git_options --depth $GIT_DEPTH $repo _${1} || exit 1
   else
     cd _${1} && git pull && cd ..
   fi
diff --git a/build/windows/gitlab-ci/2_build-gimp-crossroad.sh b/build/windows/gitlab-ci/2_build-gimp-crossroad.sh
index 8c3256cc40..7266bde764 100644
--- a/build/windows/gitlab-ci/2_build-gimp-crossroad.sh
+++ b/build/windows/gitlab-ci/2_build-gimp-crossroad.sh
@@ -17,8 +17,9 @@ echo export GI_TYPELIB_PATH="${GIMP_PREFIX}/${LIB_DIR}/${LIB_SUBDIR}girepository
 echo "${GIMP_PREFIX}/bin/gimp-console-$GIMP_APP_VERSION \"\$@\"" >> bin/gimp-console-$GIMP_APP_VERSION
 chmod u+x bin/gimp-console-$GIMP_APP_VERSION
 
-git submodule update --init
-
+if [ -z "$GIT_SUBMODULE_STRATEGY" ]; then
+  git submodule update --init
+fi
 
 # CROSSROAD ENV
 else
diff --git a/build/windows/gitlab-ci/2_build-gimp-msys2.sh b/build/windows/gitlab-ci/2_build-gimp-msys2.sh
index 4f38bef398..184f8e8a33 100644
--- a/build/windows/gitlab-ci/2_build-gimp-msys2.sh
+++ b/build/windows/gitlab-ci/2_build-gimp-msys2.sh
@@ -29,9 +29,8 @@ else
     echo "To run this script locally, please do it from to the gimp git folder"
     exit 1
   fi
-
+  git submodule update --init
   pacman --noconfirm -Suy
-
   export MESON_OPTIONS="-Drelocatable-bundle=no"
 fi
 
@@ -61,9 +60,6 @@ export XDG_DATA_DIRS="${GIMP_PREFIX}/share:/usr/share${XDG_DATA_DIRS:+:$XDG_DATA
 export GI_TYPELIB_PATH="${GIMP_PREFIX}/${LIB_DIR}/${LIB_SUBDIR}girepository-1.0${GI_TYPELIB_PATH:+:$GI_TYPELIB_PATH}"
 # End of universal variables
 
-
-git submodule update --init
-
 if [ ! -f "_build${ARTIFACTS_SUFFIX}/build.ninja" ]; then
   mkdir -p "_build${ARTIFACTS_SUFFIX}" && cd "_build${ARTIFACTS_SUFFIX}"
   # We disable javascript as we are not able for the time being to add a