diff --git a/admin/sync/importer_gitbin.go b/admin/sync/importer_gitbin.go
index 6ed9d671..4b4b0683 100644
--- a/admin/sync/importer_gitbin.go
+++ b/admin/sync/importer_gitbin.go
@@ -326,8 +326,17 @@ func (i GitImporter) IsRepositoryUptodate(repopath string) (*GitSubmoduleStatus,
 	cmdsubmodule = exec.Command("git", "-C", path.Join(i.li.Base, repopath), "show", "-q", "--oneline", "origin/"+i.Branch)
 	stdout, err = cmdsubmodule.CombinedOutput()
 	if err != nil {
-		log.Printf("Git repository submodule status failed: %s\n%s", err, stdout)
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("%w:\n%s", err, stdout)
+		cmdconfig := exec.Command("git", "-C", path.Join(i.li.Base, repopath), "config", "remote.origin.fetch")
+		if cfg, err2 := cmdconfig.CombinedOutput(); err2 == nil && !strings.Contains(string(cfg), "+refs/heads/*:refs/remotes/origin/*") {
+			cmdsubmodule := exec.Command("git", "-C", path.Join(i.li.Base, repopath), "config", "remote.origin.fetch", "+refs/heads/*:refs/remotes/origin/*")
+			if stdout, err = cmdsubmodule.CombinedOutput(); err != nil {
+				log.Printf("Git repository submodule config failed: %s\n%s", err, stdout)
+				return nil, fmt.Errorf("%w:\n%s", err, stdout)
+			}
+		} else {
+			log.Printf("Git repository submodule status failed: %s\n%s", err, stdout)
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("%w:\n%s", err, stdout)
+		}
 	}
 
 	flds := strings.SplitN(string(stdout), " ", 2)