diff --git a/pkg/commands/submodules.go b/pkg/commands/submodules.go
index 493c76eba..41ea3bbbf 100644
--- a/pkg/commands/submodules.go
+++ b/pkg/commands/submodules.go
@@ -103,6 +103,12 @@ func (c *GitCommand) SubmoduleAdd(name string, path string, url string) error {
 	)
 }
 
-func (c *GitCommand) SubmoduleUpdateUrl(path string, newUrl string) error {
-	return c.OSCommand.RunCommand("git submodule set-url -- %s %s", path, newUrl)
+func (c *GitCommand) SubmoduleUpdateUrl(name string, path string, newUrl string) error {
+	// the set-url command is only for later git versions so we're doing it manually here
+	if err := c.OSCommand.RunCommand("git config --file .gitmodules submodule.%s.url %s", name, newUrl); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	return c.OSCommand.RunCommand("git submodule sync -- %s", path)
+
 }
diff --git a/pkg/gui/submodules_panel.go b/pkg/gui/submodules_panel.go
index 9fc847e7f..d0beeb87e 100644
--- a/pkg/gui/submodules_panel.go
+++ b/pkg/gui/submodules_panel.go
@@ -148,7 +148,7 @@ func (gui *Gui) handleEditSubmoduleUrl() error {
 
 	return gui.prompt(gui.Tr.SLocalizef("updateSubmoduleUrl", submodule.Name), submodule.Url, func(newUrl string) error {
 		return gui.WithWaitingStatus(gui.Tr.SLocalize("updatingSubmoduleUrlStatus"), func() error {
-			err := gui.GitCommand.SubmoduleUpdateUrl(submodule.Name, newUrl)
+			err := gui.GitCommand.SubmoduleUpdateUrl(submodule.Name, submodule.Path, newUrl)
 			gui.handleCredentialsPopup(err)
 
 			return gui.refreshSidePanels(refreshOptions{scope: []int{SUBMODULES}})