diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index 3f575df618c92c483ca0e2e553091efdd50319e9..697259cc7409fa76ecc080bad109554c15c9c16e 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -63,6 +63,7 @@ stages:
 
 .build_and_test_template: &build_and_test_definition
   - cd $CI_PROJECT_DIR
+  - git submodule update --init
   - mkdir -pv build
   - cd build
   - cmake -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=release -DBUILD_EXAMPLES=ON -DBUILD_TESTS=ON ..