diff --git a/git_fleximod/git_fleximod.py b/git_fleximod/git_fleximod.py
index 7957001..adf575f 100755
--- a/git_fleximod/git_fleximod.py
+++ b/git_fleximod/git_fleximod.py
@@ -235,10 +235,13 @@ def single_submodule_checkout(
 
             with open(os.path.join(repodir, ".git"), "w") as f:
                 f.write("gitdir: " + os.path.relpath(newpath, start=repodir))
+                
+    if not os.path.exists(repodir):
+        git.git_operation("submodule", "add", "--name", name, "--", url, path) 
 
     if not repo_exists or not tmpurl:
-        logger.debug(git.git_operation("submodule", "update", "--init", "--", path))
-
+        git.git_operation("submodule", "update", "--init", "--", path)
+            
     if os.path.exists(os.path.join(repodir, ".gitmodules")):
         # recursively handle this checkout
         print(f"Recursively checking out submodules of {name}")
@@ -311,6 +314,8 @@ def submodules_status(gitmodules, root_dir, toplevel=False):
                     print(f"  {name:>20} at tag {tag}")
                 elif tag and ahash[: len(tag)] == tag:
                     print(f"  {name:>20} at hash {ahash}")
+                elif atag == ahash:
+                    print(f"  {name:>20} at hash {ahash}")
                 elif tag:
                     print(
                         f"s {name:>20} {atag} {ahash} is out of sync with .gitmodules {tag}"