diff --git a/builtin/commit.c b/builtin/commit.c
index 62028e7..7a83cae 100644
--- a/builtin/commit.c
+++ b/builtin/commit.c
@@ -1452,6 +1452,7 @@
 		usage_with_options(builtin_commit_usage, builtin_commit_options);
 
 	wt_status_prepare(&s);
+	gitmodules_config();
 	git_config(git_commit_config, &s);
 	determine_whence(&s);
 	s.colopts = 0;