diff --git a/submodule.c b/submodule.c
index e72781d9f2..5865795b9f 100644
--- a/submodule.c
+++ b/submodule.c
@@ -1060,7 +1060,7 @@ unsigned is_submodule_modified(const char *path, int ignore_untracked)
 	}
 	strbuf_reset(&buf);
 
-	argv_array_pushl(&cp.args, "status", "--porcelain", NULL);
+	argv_array_pushl(&cp.args, "status", "--porcelain=2", NULL);
 	if (ignore_untracked)
 		argv_array_push(&cp.args, "-uno");
 
@@ -1070,11 +1070,12 @@ unsigned is_submodule_modified(const char *path, int ignore_untracked)
 	cp.out = -1;
 	cp.dir = path;
 	if (start_command(&cp))
-		die("Could not run 'git status --porcelain' in submodule %s", path);
+		die("Could not run 'git status --porcelain=2' in submodule %s", path);
 
 	fp = xfdopen(cp.out, "r");
 	while (strbuf_getwholeline(&buf, fp, '\n') != EOF) {
-		if ((buf.buf[0] == '?') && (buf.buf[1] == '?'))
+		/* regular untracked files */
+		if (buf.buf[0] == '?')
 			dirty_submodule |= DIRTY_SUBMODULE_UNTRACKED;
 		else
 			dirty_submodule |= DIRTY_SUBMODULE_MODIFIED;
@@ -1093,7 +1094,7 @@ unsigned is_submodule_modified(const char *path, int ignore_untracked)
 	fclose(fp);
 
 	if (finish_command(&cp) && !ignore_cp_exit_code)
-		die("'git status --porcelain' failed in submodule %s", path);
+		die("'git status --porcelain=2' failed in submodule %s", path);
 
 	strbuf_release(&buf);
 	return dirty_submodule;