diff --git a/.gitmodules b/.gitmodules
index 61e039b29..ac86e07f9 100644
--- a/.gitmodules
+++ b/.gitmodules
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
 [submodule "external/nanogui"]
 	path = external/nanogui
 	url = https://github.com/schuellc/nanogui.git
+        fetchRecursiveSubmodules = true