diff --git a/lib/bb/fetch2/gitsm.py b/lib/bb/fetch2/gitsm.py
index aeeb3cf63..36e760e63 100644
--- a/lib/bb/fetch2/gitsm.py
+++ b/lib/bb/fetch2/gitsm.py
@@ -245,12 +245,7 @@ class GitSM(Git):
         ret = self.process_submodules(ud, ud.destdir, unpack_submodules, d)
 
         if not ud.bareclone and ret:
-            # All submodules should already be downloaded and configured in the tree.  This simply
-            # sets up the configuration and checks out the files.  The main project config should
-            # remain unmodified, and no download from the internet should occur. As such, lfs smudge
-            # should also be skipped as these files were already smudged in the fetch stage if lfs
-            # was enabled.
-            runfetchcmd("GIT_LFS_SKIP_SMUDGE=1 %s submodule update --recursive --no-fetch" % (ud.basecmd), d, quiet=True, workdir=ud.destdir)
+            runfetchcmd("%s submodule update --recursive --no-fetch" % (ud.basecmd), d, quiet=True, workdir=ud.destdir)
     def clean(self, ud, d):
         def clean_submodule(ud, url, module, modpath, workdir, d):
             url += ";bareclone=1;nobranch=1"