Hi, I already have told about that in a comment here , but I am not sure it will be seen. Then here is an official bug report. ### Please describe the problem. I have a problem with submodules when the git repository is not a submodule everywhere. For instance, if A is a git annexed repository and B another git repository. If B adds A as submodules. The symlinks added in A as submodule won't work in the original A. ### What steps will reproduce the problem? # creating the master repository mkdir annex_master cd annex_master/ git init # hack: adding a file to create the master branch touch start git add start git commit -m "start" cd .. # create another repository mkdir annex_sub cd annex_sub/ git init # hack: adding a file to create the master branch touch start git add start git commit -m "start" # it is a annexed repository git annex init sub # add the other repository as submodule of the master one cd ../annex_master/ git submodule add ../annex_sub/ module cd module/ git annex init sub_module git annex sync origin # add an annexed file echo test > test git annex add git annex sync # go back to the origin repository cd ../../annex_sub/ git annex sync ls -l This returns test -> ../.git/modules/module/annex/objects/w8/pv/SHA256E-s5--f2ca1bb6c7e907d06dafe4687e579fce76b37e4e93b7605022da52e6ccc26fd2/SHA256E-s5--f2ca1bb6c7e907d06dafe4687e579fce76b37e4e93b7605022da52e6ccc26fd2 Actually, the file committed is correct. But the fact it points to '../.git/modules/module/...' makes the link work only if the repository is also a submodule and if this submodule is also located in the modules folder in the parent git repository. I tried playing with making the repository direct and then indirect, hoping that would fix the symlinks, but it did not work. ### What version of git-annex are you using? On what operating system? $ git-annex version git-annex version: 4.20130802 ... $ git --version git version 1.8.3.2 $ uname -a Linux konixwork 3.9-1-amd64 #1 SMP Debian 3.9.8-1 x86_64 GNU/Linux ### Please provide any additional information below. [[!tag confirmed]] > [[fixed|done]] -- with a current version of git, git-annex now supports > [[/submodules]]. NB: Filesystem must support symlinks, or this won't > work. > > -- [[Joey]]