diff --git a/.github/workflows/test.yml b/.github/workflows/test.yml
index 1731230c1ce1..e176182b14ab 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test.yml
@@ -35,8 +35,6 @@ jobs:
 
     steps:
     - uses: actions/checkout@v2
-      with:
-        submodules: true
     - uses: actions/setup-python@v2
       with:
         python-version: ${{ matrix.python }}
diff --git a/.github/workflows/test_stubgenc.yml b/.github/workflows/test_stubgenc.yml
index af51e4bd407c..5aa0c7cdf200 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test_stubgenc.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test_stubgenc.yml
@@ -20,13 +20,10 @@ jobs:
 
     - uses: actions/checkout@v2
 
-    - name: initialize submodules
-      run: git submodule update --init
-
     - name: Setup 🐍 3.8
       uses: actions/setup-python@v2
       with:
         python-version: 3.8
 
     - name: Test stubgenc
-      run: misc/test-stubgenc.sh
\ No newline at end of file
+      run: misc/test-stubgenc.sh
diff --git a/.gitmodules b/.gitmodules
deleted file mode 100644
index e69de29bb2d1..000000000000