diff --git a/scripts/scm.sh b/scripts/scm.sh
index d899a61b..7b6201a8 100644
--- a/scripts/scm.sh
+++ b/scripts/scm.sh
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ cmd_ls_files()
 		local opts="$git_ls_files_opts"
 		git --version | grep -q "version *1" && opt_no_submodules=1
 		[ "$opt_no_submodules" = 1 ] || opts="$opts --recurse-submodules"
-		git ls-files $opts $1
+		git ls-files --recurse-submodules $opts $1
 	}
 
 	list_dirents()