@@ -760,7 +760,6 @@ static int prepare_to_clone_next_submodule(const struct cache_entry *ce,
 	struct strbuf displaypath_sb = STRBUF_INIT;
 	struct strbuf sb = STRBUF_INIT;
 	const char *displaypath = NULL;
-	char *url = NULL;
 	int needs_cloning = 0;
 
 	if (ce_stage(ce)) {

@@ -795,14 +794,11 @@ static int prepare_to_clone_next_submodule(const struct cache_entry *ce,
 	}
 
 	/*
-	 * Looking up the url in .git/config.
+	 * Check if the submodule has been initialized.
 	 * We must not fall back to .gitmodules as we only want
 	 * to process configured submodules.
 	 */
-	strbuf_reset(&sb);
-	strbuf_addf(&sb, "submodule.%s.url", sub->name);
-	git_config_get_string(sb.buf, &url);
-	if (!url) {
+	if (!is_submodule_initialized(ce->name)) {
 		next_submodule_warn_missing(suc, out, displaypath);
 		goto cleanup;
 	}

@@ -836,7 +832,7 @@ static int prepare_to_clone_next_submodule(const struct cache_entry *ce,
 		argv_array_push(&child->args, "--depth=1");
 	argv_array_pushl(&child->args, "--path", sub->path, NULL);
 	argv_array_pushl(&child->args, "--name", sub->name, NULL);
-	argv_array_pushl(&child->args, "--url", url, NULL);
+	argv_array_pushl(&child->args, "--url", sub->url, NULL);
 	if (suc->references.nr) {
 		struct string_list_item *item;
 		for_each_string_list_item(item, &suc->references)

@@ -846,7 +842,6 @@ static int prepare_to_clone_next_submodule(const struct cache_entry *ce,
 		argv_array_push(&child->args, suc->depth);
 
 cleanup:
-	free(url);
 	strbuf_reset(&displaypath_sb);
 	strbuf_reset(&sb);