diff --git a/builtin/fetch.c b/builtin/fetch.c
index 65f5f9b72f92ec64ac5ad1ad264f78199337aba6..cfb43df4e843970a7ff93078ea1bcbbdb9985260 100644
--- a/builtin/fetch.c
+++ b/builtin/fetch.c
@@ -300,11 +300,11 @@ static int update_local_ref(struct ref *ref,
 		else {
 			msg = "storing head";
 			what = _("[new branch]");
-			if ((recurse_submodules != RECURSE_SUBMODULES_OFF) &&
-			    (recurse_submodules != RECURSE_SUBMODULES_ON))
-				check_for_new_submodule_commits(ref->new_sha1);
 		}
 
+		if ((recurse_submodules != RECURSE_SUBMODULES_OFF) &&
+		    (recurse_submodules != RECURSE_SUBMODULES_ON))
+			check_for_new_submodule_commits(ref->new_sha1);
 		r = s_update_ref(msg, ref, 0);
 		strbuf_addf(display, "%c %-*s %-*s -> %s%s",
 			    r ? '!' : '*',