diff --git a/test/kokoro.bat b/test/kokoro.bat
index 1f0fabfc..3190c141 100644
--- a/test/kokoro.bat
+++ b/test/kokoro.bat
@@ -17,7 +17,6 @@
 cd /d %~dp0
 cd ..
 
-git submodule update --init
-git submodule foreach --recursive git submodule update --init
+git submodule update --init --recursive
 
 .\run-tests.bat
diff --git a/test/kokoro.sh b/test/kokoro.sh
index c4b9373b..d28d18cf 100755
--- a/test/kokoro.sh
+++ b/test/kokoro.sh
@@ -17,8 +17,7 @@ set -e
 cd $(dirname $0)/..
 
 # Install gRPC and its submodules.
-git submodule update --init
-git submodule foreach --recursive git submodule update --init
+git submodule update --init --recursive
 
 ./packages/grpc-native-core/tools/buildgen/generate_projects.sh
 
diff --git a/tools/release/kokoro-electron.bat b/tools/release/kokoro-electron.bat
index c27db480..dde9b134 100644
--- a/tools/release/kokoro-electron.bat
+++ b/tools/release/kokoro-electron.bat
@@ -27,8 +27,7 @@ call npm install -g node-gyp@3
 cd /d %~dp0
 cd ..\..
 
-git submodule update --init
-git submodule foreach --recursive git submodule update --init
+git submodule update --init --recursive
 
 set ARTIFACTS_OUT=artifacts
 cd packages\grpc-native-core
diff --git a/tools/release/kokoro-electron.sh b/tools/release/kokoro-electron.sh
index 1305c1ae..c0302538 100755
--- a/tools/release/kokoro-electron.sh
+++ b/tools/release/kokoro-electron.sh
@@ -28,8 +28,7 @@ cd $(dirname $0)/../..
 base_dir=$(pwd)
 
 # Install gRPC and its submodules.
-git submodule update --init
-git submodule foreach --recursive git submodule update --init
+git submodule update --init --recursive
 
 pip install mako
 ./packages/grpc-native-core/tools/buildgen/generate_projects.sh
diff --git a/tools/release/kokoro-nodejs.bat b/tools/release/kokoro-nodejs.bat
index faa6364a..dd6aecfc 100644
--- a/tools/release/kokoro-nodejs.bat
+++ b/tools/release/kokoro-nodejs.bat
@@ -27,8 +27,7 @@ call npm install -g node-gyp@3
 cd /d %~dp0
 cd ..\..
 
-git submodule update --init
-git submodule foreach --recursive git submodule update --init
+git submodule update --init --recursive
 
 set ARTIFACTS_OUT=%cd%\artifacts
 cd packages\grpc-native-core
diff --git a/tools/release/kokoro-nodejs.sh b/tools/release/kokoro-nodejs.sh
index c1f90562..e3dd3d05 100755
--- a/tools/release/kokoro-nodejs.sh
+++ b/tools/release/kokoro-nodejs.sh
@@ -28,8 +28,7 @@ cd $(dirname $0)/../..
 base_dir=$(pwd)
 
 # Install gRPC and its submodules.
-git submodule update --init
-git submodule foreach --recursive git submodule update --init
+git submodule update --init --recursive
 
 pip install mako
 ./packages/grpc-native-core/tools/buildgen/generate_projects.sh