diff --git a/git-submodule.sh b/git-submodule.sh
index 77d223292c..664f21721c 100755
--- a/git-submodule.sh
+++ b/git-submodule.sh
@@ -688,7 +688,11 @@ cmd_summary() {
 		echo
 	done |
 	if test -n "$for_status"; then
-		echo "# Modified submodules:"
+		if [ -n "$files" ]; then
+			echo "# Submodules changed but not updated:"
+		else
+			echo "# Submodule changes to be committed:"
+		fi
 		echo "#"
 		sed -e 's|^|# |' -e 's|^# $|#|'
 	else
diff --git a/t/t7401-submodule-summary.sh b/t/t7401-submodule-summary.sh
index 6cc16c39fe..d3c039f724 100755
--- a/t/t7401-submodule-summary.sh
+++ b/t/t7401-submodule-summary.sh
@@ -213,7 +213,7 @@ EOF
 test_expect_success '--for-status' "
     git submodule summary --for-status HEAD^ >actual &&
     test_cmp actual - <<EOF
-# Modified submodules:
+# Submodule changes to be committed:
 #
 # * sm1 $head6...0000000:
 #
diff --git a/t/t7508-status.sh b/t/t7508-status.sh
index cf67fe3a4a..556d0faa77 100755
--- a/t/t7508-status.sh
+++ b/t/t7508-status.sh
@@ -579,7 +579,7 @@ cat >expect <<EOF
 #
 #	modified:   dir1/modified
 #
-# Modified submodules:
+# Submodule changes to be committed:
 #
 # * sm 0000000...$head (1):
 #   > Add foo
@@ -672,7 +672,7 @@ cat >expect <<EOF
 #
 #	modified:   dir1/modified
 #
-# Modified submodules:
+# Submodule changes to be committed:
 #
 # * sm 0000000...$head (1):
 #   > Add foo
diff --git a/wt-status.c b/wt-status.c
index 5d56988016..deaac93d17 100644
--- a/wt-status.c
+++ b/wt-status.c
@@ -459,7 +459,7 @@ static void wt_status_print_changed(struct wt_status *s)
 	wt_status_print_trailer(s);
 }
 
-static void wt_status_print_submodule_summary(struct wt_status *s)
+static void wt_status_print_submodule_summary(struct wt_status *s, int uncommitted)
 {
 	struct child_process sm_summary;
 	char summary_limit[64];
@@ -468,11 +468,11 @@ static void wt_status_print_submodule_summary(struct wt_status *s)
 	const char *argv[] = {
 		"submodule",
 		"summary",
-		"--cached",
+		uncommitted ? "--files" : "--cached",
 		"--for-status",
 		"--summary-limit",
 		summary_limit,
-		s->amend ? "HEAD^" : "HEAD",
+		uncommitted ? NULL : (s->amend ? "HEAD^" : "HEAD"),
 		NULL
 	};
 
@@ -580,8 +580,10 @@ void wt_status_print(struct wt_status *s)
 	wt_status_print_updated(s);
 	wt_status_print_unmerged(s);
 	wt_status_print_changed(s);
-	if (s->submodule_summary)
-		wt_status_print_submodule_summary(s);
+	if (s->submodule_summary) {
+		wt_status_print_submodule_summary(s, 0);  /* staged */
+		wt_status_print_submodule_summary(s, 1);  /* unstaged */
+	}
 	if (s->show_untracked_files)
 		wt_status_print_untracked(s);
 	else if (s->commitable)