diff --git a/lib/classes/plugin_manager.php b/lib/classes/plugin_manager.php
index 69a706ae060..b385127ad59 100644
--- a/lib/classes/plugin_manager.php
+++ b/lib/classes/plugin_manager.php
@@ -654,6 +654,10 @@ class core_plugin_manager {
             return 'git';
         }
 
+        if (is_file($pluginroot.'/.git')) {
+            return 'git-submodule';
+        }
+
         if (is_dir($pluginroot.'/CVS')) {
             return 'cvs';
         }
diff --git a/lib/classes/update/deployer.php b/lib/classes/update/deployer.php
index d25560920e4..25ba1683081 100644
--- a/lib/classes/update/deployer.php
+++ b/lib/classes/update/deployer.php
@@ -181,6 +181,10 @@ class deployer {
             return 'git';
         }
 
+        if (is_file($pluginroot.'/.git')) {
+            return 'git-submodule';
+        }
+
         if (is_dir($pluginroot.'/CVS')) {
             return 'cvs';
         }