diff --git a/package/pkg-download.mk b/package/pkg-download.mk
index a0f694d0fd..315203f331 100644
--- a/package/pkg-download.mk
+++ b/package/pkg-download.mk
@@ -76,6 +76,7 @@ export BR_NO_CHECK_HASH_FOR =
 define DOWNLOAD_GIT
 	$(EXTRA_ENV) $(DL_WRAPPER) -b git \
 		-o $(DL_DIR)/$($(PKG)_SOURCE) \
+		$(if $($(PKG)_GIT_SUBMODULES),-r) \
 		$(QUIET) \
 		-- \
 		$($(PKG)_SITE) \
diff --git a/package/pkg-generic.mk b/package/pkg-generic.mk
index b712c3175f..fa404cae24 100644
--- a/package/pkg-generic.mk
+++ b/package/pkg-generic.mk
@@ -468,6 +468,14 @@ ifndef $(2)_SITE_METHOD
  endif
 endif
 
+# Do not accept to download git submodule if not using the git method
+ifneq ($$($(2)_GIT_SUBMODULES),)
+ ifneq ($$($(2)_SITE_METHOD),git)
+  $$(error $(2) declares having git sub-modules, but does not use the \
+	   'git' method (uses '$$($(2)_SITE_METHOD)' instead))
+ endif
+endif
+
 ifeq ($$($(2)_SITE_METHOD),local)
 ifeq ($$($(2)_OVERRIDE_SRCDIR),)
 $(2)_OVERRIDE_SRCDIR = $$($(2)_SITE)
diff --git a/support/download/dl-wrapper b/support/download/dl-wrapper
index ef2d872938..f944b71db5 100755
--- a/support/download/dl-wrapper
+++ b/support/download/dl-wrapper
@@ -21,15 +21,16 @@ set -e
 
 main() {
     local OPT OPTARG
-    local backend output hfile quiet
+    local backend output hfile recurse quiet
 
     # Parse our options; anything after '--' is for the backend
-    while getopts :hb:o:H:q OPT; do
+    while getopts :hb:o:H:rq OPT; do
         case "${OPT}" in
         h)  help; exit 0;;
         b)  backend="${OPTARG}";;
         o)  output="${OPTARG}";;
         H)  hfile="${OPTARG}";;
+        r)  recurse="-r";;
         q)  quiet="-q";;
         :)  error "option '%s' expects a mandatory argument\n" "${OPTARG}";;
         \?) error "unknown option '%s'\n" "${OPTARG}";;
@@ -82,7 +83,7 @@ main() {
     # If the backend fails, we can just remove the temporary directory to
     # remove all the cruft it may have left behind. Then we just exit in
     # error too.
-    if ! "${OLDPWD}/support/download/${backend}" ${quiet} "${tmpf}" "${@}"; then
+    if ! "${OLDPWD}/support/download/${backend}" ${quiet} ${recurse} "${tmpf}" "${@}"; then
         rm -rf "${tmpd}"
         exit 1
     fi