diff --git a/Rakefile b/Rakefile
index 1d8590df..f843b000 100644
--- a/Rakefile
+++ b/Rakefile
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 require 'rake'
 
 desc "Hook our dotfiles into system-standard positions."
-task :install => [:submodules] do
+task :install => [:submodule_init, :submodules] do
   puts
   puts "======================================================"
   puts "Welcome to YADR Installation. I'll ask you a few"
@@ -35,6 +35,10 @@ task :update => [:install] do
   #not to clobber zsh files
 end
 
+task :submodule_init do
+  run %{ git submodule update --init --recursive }
+end
+
 desc "Init and update submodules."
 task :submodules do
   puts "======================================================"