diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index bfb2c946..f837982a 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -8,10 +8,7 @@ all $(MAKECMDGOALS):
 		$(MAKECMDGOALS)
 
 git-submodules:
-	@set -e; if [ ! -f releng/meson/meson.py ]; then \
-		git submodule update --init --depth 1 subprojects/frida-core subprojects/frida-gum; \
-		git submodule update --init --depth 1 --recursive releng; \
-	fi
+	@[ ! -f releng/meson/meson.py ] && $(PYTHON) tools/ensure-submodules.py
 -include git-submodules
 
 .PHONY: all $(MAKECMDGOALS)
diff --git a/configure b/configure
index a6ea7618..786eb50c 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -3,14 +3,8 @@
 [ -z "$PYTHON" ] && PYTHON=$(which python3 >/dev/null && echo python3 || echo python)
 
 cd $(dirname $0)
-
 srcroot=$(pwd)
-
-if [ ! -f releng/meson/meson.py ]; then
-  git submodule update --init --depth 1 subprojects/frida-core subprojects/frida-gum
-  git submodule update --init --depth 1 --recursive releng
-fi
-
+[ ! -f releng/meson/meson.py ] && "$PYTHON" tools/ensure-submodules.py
 cd - >/dev/null
 
 exec "$PYTHON" \
diff --git a/configure.bat b/configure.bat
index d830fd5a..417cb0f2 100644
--- a/configure.bat
+++ b/configure.bat
@@ -12,10 +12,7 @@ goto :eof
 call :set_real_dp0
 
 if not exist "%dp0%\releng\meson\meson.py" (
-  pushd "%dp0%" ^
-      & git submodule update --init --depth 1 "%dp0%\subprojects\frida-core" "%dp0%\subprojects\frida-gum" ^
-      & git submodule update --init --depth 1 --recursive "%dp0%\releng" ^
-      & popd
+  python "%dp0%\tools\ensure-submodules.py"
   if %errorlevel% neq 0 exit /b %errorlevel%
 )
 
diff --git a/make.bat b/make.bat
index bf14db0f..0c160c20 100644
--- a/make.bat
+++ b/make.bat
@@ -12,10 +12,7 @@ goto :eof
 call :set_real_dp0
 
 if not exist "%dp0%\releng\meson\meson.py" (
-  pushd "%dp0%" ^
-      & git submodule update --init --depth 1 "%dp0%\subprojects\frida-core" "%dp0%\subprojects\frida-gum" ^
-      & git submodule update --init --depth 1 --recursive "%dp0%\releng" ^
-      & popd
+  python "%dp0%\tools\ensure-submodules.py"
   if %errorlevel% neq 0 exit /b %errorlevel%
 )
 
diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 1d731ee3..e7351d50 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@ project('frida', 'c',
   meson_version: '>=1.1.0',
 )
 
-fs = import('fs')
 python = import('python').find_installation()
 
 is_cross_build = meson.is_cross_build()
@@ -24,19 +23,16 @@ foreach component : ['gadget', 'server', 'inject']
 endforeach
 subproject('frida-core', default_options: core_options)
 
-grab_submodule = ['git', 'submodule', 'update', '--init', '--depth', '1']
+ensure_submodules = [python, files('tools' / 'ensure-submodules.py')]
 
 if get_option('frida_clr') \
     .disable_auto_if(is_cross_build) \
     .disable_auto_if(build_machine.system() != 'windows') \
     .disable_auto_if(get_option('b_vscrt').startswith('mt')) \
     .allowed()
-  dir = 'subprojects' / 'frida-clr'
-  if not fs.exists(dir / 'meson.build')
-    run_command(grab_submodule, dir, check: true)
-  endif
+  run_command(ensure_submodules, 'frida-clr', check: true)
   if get_option('frida_clr').auto()
-    detect_result = run_command(python, dir / 'detect-netfx.py', check: false)
+    detect_result = run_command(python, 'subprojects' / 'frida-clr' / 'detect-netfx.py', check: false)
     build_clr_bindings = detect_result.returncode() == 0
   else
     build_clr_bindings = true
@@ -49,20 +45,14 @@ endif
 if get_option('frida_node') \
     .disable_auto_if(is_cross_build) \
     .allowed()
-  dir = 'subprojects' / 'frida-node'
-  if not fs.exists(dir / 'meson.build')
-    run_command(grab_submodule, dir, check: true)
-  endif
+  run_command(ensure_submodules, 'frida-node', check: true)
   subproject('frida-node')
 endif
 
 if get_option('frida_python') \
     .disable_auto_if(is_cross_build) \
     .allowed()
-  dir = 'subprojects' / 'frida-python'
-  if not fs.exists(dir / 'meson.build')
-    run_command(grab_submodule, dir, check: true)
-  endif
+  run_command(ensure_submodules, 'frida-python', check: true)
   subproject('frida-python')
 endif
 
@@ -70,10 +60,7 @@ if get_option('frida_swift') \
     .disable_auto_if(is_cross_build) \
     .disable_auto_if(build_machine.system() != 'macos') \
     .allowed()
-  dir = 'subprojects' / 'frida-swift'
-  if not fs.exists(dir / 'meson.build')
-    run_command(grab_submodule, dir, check: true)
-  endif
+  run_command(ensure_submodules, 'frida-swift', check: true)
   subproject('frida-swift')
 endif
 
@@ -82,19 +69,13 @@ if get_option('frida_qml') \
     .disable_auto_if(is_cross_build) \
     .disable_auto_if(not qt6_dep.found()) \
     .allowed()
-  dir = 'subprojects' / 'frida-qml'
-  if not fs.exists(dir / 'meson.build')
-    run_command(grab_submodule, dir, check: true)
-  endif
+  run_command(ensure_submodules, 'frida-qml', check: true)
   subproject('frida-qml')
 endif
 
 if get_option('frida_tools') \
     .disable_auto_if(is_cross_build) \
     .allowed()
-  dir = 'subprojects' / 'frida-tools'
-  if not fs.exists(dir / 'meson.build')
-    run_command(grab_submodule, dir, check: true)
-  endif
+  run_command(ensure_submodules, 'frida-tools', check: true)
   subproject('frida-tools')
 endif
diff --git a/tools/ensure-submodules.py b/tools/ensure-submodules.py
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..9246ece6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/ensure-submodules.py
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+
+import subprocess
+import sys
+from pathlib import Path
+
+SOURCE_ROOT = Path(__file__).resolve().parent.parent
+UPDATE_FLAGS = ["--init", "--depth", "1"]
+
+
+def main(argv: list[str]):
+    names = argv[1:]
+    if not names:
+        names = ["frida-gum", "frida-core"]
+    paths_to_check = [Path("subprojects") / name for name in names]
+
+    try:
+        releng = SOURCE_ROOT / "releng"
+        if not (releng / "meson" / "meson.py").exists():
+            print(f"Fetching releng...", flush=True)
+            run(["git", "submodule", "update", *UPDATE_FLAGS], cwd=releng)
+
+        for relpath in paths_to_check:
+            if not (SOURCE_ROOT / relpath / "meson.build").exists():
+                print(f"Fetching {relpath.name}...", flush=True)
+                run(["git", "submodule", "update", *UPDATE_FLAGS, relpath], cwd=SOURCE_ROOT)
+    except Exception as e:
+        print(e, file=sys.stderr)
+        if isinstance(e, subprocess.CalledProcessError):
+            for label, data in [("Output", e.output), ("Stderr", e.stderr)]:
+                if data:
+                    print(f"{label}:\n\t| " + "\n\t| ".join(data.strip().split("\n")), file=sys.stderr)
+        sys.exit(1)
+
+
+def run(argv: list[str], **kwargs) -> subprocess.CompletedProcess:
+    return subprocess.run(argv, capture_output=True, encoding="utf-8", check=True, **kwargs)
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    main(sys.argv)