diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index 7684c10707e01cb6539a483c2beec3f34aac8850..c4e6053abacb37997c7d32b82868fd0380469816 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -67,6 +67,7 @@ build_and_deploy:
     - main
   stage: deploy_java
   script:
+    - 'git submodule init'
     - 'mvn $MAVEN_OPTS $MAVEN_CLI_OPTS $MAVEN_DEPLOY_OPTS -U clean verify -Ptextgrid.deb'
   artifacts:
     name: WEBAPP_DEB_PACKAGES