diff --git a/src/submodule.c b/src/submodule.c
index 0175ac5d7..ac6998603 100644
--- a/src/submodule.c
+++ b/src/submodule.c
@@ -1160,7 +1160,6 @@ int git_submodule_update(git_submodule *sm, int init, git_submodule_update_optio
 		 * will checkout the specific commit manually.
 		 */
 		clone_options.checkout_opts.checkout_strategy = GIT_CHECKOUT_NONE;
-		update_options.checkout_opts.checkout_strategy = GIT_CHECKOUT_SAFE;
 
 		if ((error = git_clone(&sub_repo, submodule_url, sm->path, &clone_options)) < 0 ||
 			(error = git_repository_set_head_detached(sub_repo, git_submodule_index_id(sm))) < 0 ||