diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index 6222779d291e9511a95abc04146eea1d4aa4d1f2..2080a11e8bfb4d9bf98874da921ad322b20a72fe 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -7,6 +7,8 @@ pystencils-nbackend-docs:
   stage: docs
   needs: []
   before_script:
+    - git submodule init
+    - git submodule update
     - pip install -e ./pystencils[doc]
   script:
     - cd pystencils/docs