diff --git a/scripts/abi_check.py b/scripts/abi_check.py
index d458d56e3..7926bc8cd 100755
--- a/scripts/abi_check.py
+++ b/scripts/abi_check.py
@@ -87,6 +87,18 @@ class AbiChecker(object):
             raise Exception("Checking out worktree failed, aborting")
         return git_worktree_path
 
+    def update_git_submodules(self, git_worktree_path):
+        process = subprocess.Popen(
+            [self.git_command, "submodule", "update", "--init", '--recursive'],
+            cwd=git_worktree_path,
+            stdout=subprocess.PIPE,
+            stderr=subprocess.STDOUT
+        )
+        output, _ = process.communicate()
+        self.log.info(output.decode("utf-8"))
+        if process.returncode != 0:
+            raise Exception("git submodule update failed, aborting")
+
     def build_shared_libraries(self, git_worktree_path):
         """Build the shared libraries in the specified worktree."""
         my_environment = os.environ.copy()
@@ -149,6 +161,7 @@ class AbiChecker(object):
     def get_abi_dump_for_ref(self, git_rev):
         """Generate the ABI dumps for the specified git revision."""
         git_worktree_path = self.get_clean_worktree_for_git_revision(git_rev)
+        self.update_git_submodules(git_worktree_path)
         self.build_shared_libraries(git_worktree_path)
         abi_dumps = self.get_abi_dumps_from_shared_libraries(
             git_rev, git_worktree_path