diff --git a/git-submodule.sh b/git-submodule.sh
index fd0fe081a8..78073cd87d 100755
--- a/git-submodule.sh
+++ b/git-submodule.sh
@@ -630,7 +630,7 @@ cmd_update()
 				# is not reachable from a ref.
 				is_tip_reachable "$sm_path" "$sha1" ||
 				fetch_in_submodule "$sm_path" $depth ||
-				die "$(eval_gettext "Unable to fetch in submodule path '\$displaypath'")"
+				say "$(eval_gettext "Unable to fetch in submodule path '\$displaypath'")"
 
 				# Now we tried the usual fetch, but $sha1 may
 				# not be reachable from any of the refs