diff --git a/cdist/conf/type/__git/gencode-remote b/cdist/conf/type/__git/gencode-remote
index 4de0f1c6..a36ff5cd 100755
--- a/cdist/conf/type/__git/gencode-remote
+++ b/cdist/conf/type/__git/gencode-remote
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ owner=$(cat "$__object/parameter/owner")
 group=$(cat "$__object/parameter/group")
 mode=$(cat "$__object/parameter/mode")
 
-[ -f "$__object/parameter/recursive" ] && recursive='--recursive' || recursive=''
+[ -f "$__object/parameter/recursive" ] && recursive='--recurse-submodules' || recursive=''
 
 [ "$state_should" = "$state_is" ] \
  && [ "$owner" = "$owner_is" ] \
diff --git a/cdist/conf/type/__git/man.rst b/cdist/conf/type/__git/man.rst
index 144eadda..f18a5a0e 100644
--- a/cdist/conf/type/__git/man.rst
+++ b/cdist/conf/type/__git/man.rst
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ owner
    User to chown to.
 
 recursive
-   Passes the --recursive flag to git when cloning the repository.
+   Passes the --recurse-submodules flag to git when cloning the repository.
 
 EXAMPLES
 --------