diff --git a/Documentation/git-submodule.txt b/Documentation/git-submodule.txt
index fbbbcb282cc8d6b2fd9c0ea8aea28d4a584646ea..2de7bf090094cd4a5c2d6697493040b445077bf7 100644
--- a/Documentation/git-submodule.txt
+++ b/Documentation/git-submodule.txt
@@ -149,6 +149,11 @@ submodule with the `--init` option.
 +
 If `--recursive` is specified, this command will recurse into the
 registered submodules, and update any nested submodules within.
++
+If `--force` is specified, the submodule will be checked out (using
+`git checkout --force` if appropriate), even if the commit specified in the
+index of the containing repository already matches the commit checked out in
+the submodule.
 
 summary::
 	Show commit summary between the given commit (defaults to HEAD) and
@@ -210,7 +215,9 @@ OPTIONS
 	This option is only valid for add and update commands.
 	When running add, allow adding an otherwise ignored submodule path.
 	When running update, throw away local changes in submodules when
-	switching to a different commit.
+	switching to a different commit; and always run a checkout operation
+	in the submodule, even if the commit listed in the index of the
+	containing repository matches the commit checked out in the submodule.
 
 --cached::
 	This option is only valid for status and summary commands.  These
diff --git a/git-submodule.sh b/git-submodule.sh
index fbf2fafaaf49ec65090ec4eadb33d1ccedc60436..812a60fe4c4184d57ab22a43e0a471753f2a577a 100755
--- a/git-submodule.sh
+++ b/git-submodule.sh
@@ -537,7 +537,7 @@ Maybe you want to use 'update --init'?")"
 			die "$(eval_gettext "Unable to find current revision in submodule path '\$sm_path'")"
 		fi
 
-		if test "$subsha1" != "$sha1"
+		if test "$subsha1" != "$sha1" -o -n "$force"
 		then
 			subforce=$force
 			# If we don't already have a -f flag and the submodule has never been checked out
diff --git a/t/t7406-submodule-update.sh b/t/t7406-submodule-update.sh
index dcb195b4cf67af3cf5ce94d0f5ca75bf94664b9a..8e9c380c47f33fcdc0a99646050cb6c67f9fa2e5 100755
--- a/t/t7406-submodule-update.sh
+++ b/t/t7406-submodule-update.sh
@@ -123,6 +123,18 @@ test_expect_success 'submodule update should throw away changes with --force ' '
 	)
 '
 
+test_expect_success 'submodule update --force forcibly checks out submodules' '
+	(cd super &&
+	 (cd submodule &&
+	  rm -f file
+	 ) &&
+	 git submodule update --force submodule &&
+	 (cd submodule &&
+	  test "$(git status -s file)" = ""
+	 )
+	)
+'
+
 test_expect_success 'submodule update --rebase staying on master' '
 	(cd super/submodule &&
 	  git checkout master