diff --git a/src/git-source-provider.ts b/src/git-source-provider.ts
index b95ce3a..487385c 100644
--- a/src/git-source-provider.ts
+++ b/src/git-source-provider.ts
@@ -176,6 +176,10 @@ export async function getSource(settings: IGitSourceSettings): Promise<void> {
         await authHelper.configureGlobalAuth()
         core.endGroup()
 
+        // Clean existing submodules
+        await git.submoduleReset(settings.nestedSubmodules)
+        await git.submoduleClean(settings.nestedSubmodules)
+
         // Checkout submodules
         core.startGroup('Fetching submodules')
         await git.submoduleSync(settings.nestedSubmodules)
@@ -183,8 +187,6 @@ export async function getSource(settings: IGitSourceSettings): Promise<void> {
           settings.fetchDepth,
           settings.nestedSubmodules
         )
-        await git.submoduleReset(settings.nestedSubmodules)
-        await git.submoduleClean(settings.nestedSubmodules)
         await git.submoduleForeach(
           'git config --local gc.auto 0',
           settings.nestedSubmodules