diff --git a/templates/tools/dockerfile/test/cxx_wheezy_x64/Dockerfile.template b/templates/tools/dockerfile/test/cxx_wheezy_x64/Dockerfile.template
index b6a3b0d5d2102a4590da83fab4fb8e42081edecc..5c38e9a0e924770fe2d1f6dde886aa94a288c57d 100644
--- a/templates/tools/dockerfile/test/cxx_wheezy_x64/Dockerfile.template
+++ b/templates/tools/dockerfile/test/cxx_wheezy_x64/Dockerfile.template
@@ -41,6 +41,12 @@
     g++-4.4 ${'\\'}
     g++-4.4-multilib
 
+  # set up backport to allow installation of Git version > 1.7
+  RUN echo "deb http://http.debian.net/debian wheezy-backports main" \
+    >/etc/apt/sources.list.d/wheezy-backports.list
+  RUN apt-get update -qq
+  RUN apt-get -t wheezy-backports install -qq git
+  
   RUN wget ${openssl_fallback.base_uri + openssl_fallback.tarball}
 
   ENV POST_GIT_STEP tools/dockerfile/test/cxx_wheezy_x64/post-git-setup.sh
diff --git a/test/distrib/cpp/run_distrib_test.sh b/test/distrib/cpp/run_distrib_test.sh
index bc84b84b8f37ab90e9130eb811de4bc9c394a091..15fbf28107494f318d60779918d34b30c123a67d 100755
--- a/test/distrib/cpp/run_distrib_test.sh
+++ b/test/distrib/cpp/run_distrib_test.sh
@@ -30,7 +30,12 @@
 
 set -ex
 
-git clone --recursive $EXTERNAL_GIT_ROOT
+git clone $EXTERNAL_GIT_ROOT
+# clone gRPC submodules, use data from locally cloned submodules where possible
+(cd ${EXTERNAL_GIT_ROOT} && git submodule foreach 'cd /var/local/git/grpc \
+&& git submodule update --init --reference ${EXTERNAL_GIT_ROOT}/${name} \
+${name}')
+
 cd grpc
 
 cd third_party/protobuf && ./autogen.sh && \
diff --git a/tools/dockerfile/grpc_check_generated_pb_files/check_pb_files.sh b/tools/dockerfile/grpc_check_generated_pb_files/check_pb_files.sh
index 62e41755ec1362c55a19b89514c83588bd97a580..9db7aae9ebabfac1c06eda64d1370d6431ef333a 100755
--- a/tools/dockerfile/grpc_check_generated_pb_files/check_pb_files.sh
+++ b/tools/dockerfile/grpc_check_generated_pb_files/check_pb_files.sh
@@ -31,7 +31,11 @@
 set -e
 
 mkdir -p /var/local/git
-git clone --recursive /var/local/jenkins/grpc /var/local/git/grpc
+git clone /var/local/jenkins/grpc /var/local/git/grpc
+# clone gRPC submodules, use data from locally cloned submodules where possible
+(cd /var/local/jenkins/grpc/ && git submodule foreach 'cd /var/local/git/grpc \
+&& git submodule update --init --reference /var/local/jenkins/grpc/${name} \
+${name}')
 
 cd /var/local/git/grpc
 
diff --git a/tools/dockerfile/interoptest/grpc_interop_csharp/build_interop.sh b/tools/dockerfile/interoptest/grpc_interop_csharp/build_interop.sh
index fd5436c44ff3fb96bfa9691d9b30e8c5b5ed270d..e37070904d3583266278ff70c1278aa44bdc3858 100755
--- a/tools/dockerfile/interoptest/grpc_interop_csharp/build_interop.sh
+++ b/tools/dockerfile/interoptest/grpc_interop_csharp/build_interop.sh
@@ -32,7 +32,11 @@
 set -e
 
 mkdir -p /var/local/git
-git clone --recursive /var/local/jenkins/grpc /var/local/git/grpc
+git clone /var/local/jenkins/grpc /var/local/git/grpc
+# clone gRPC submodules, use data from locally cloned submodules where possible
+(cd /var/local/jenkins/grpc/ && git submodule foreach 'cd /var/local/git/grpc \
+&& git submodule update --init --reference /var/local/jenkins/grpc/${name} \
+${name}')
 
 # copy service account keys if available
 cp -r /var/local/jenkins/service_account $HOME || true
diff --git a/tools/dockerfile/interoptest/grpc_interop_csharpcoreclr/build_interop.sh b/tools/dockerfile/interoptest/grpc_interop_csharpcoreclr/build_interop.sh
index 77cd65cce370ee565a9c9f3dbbcc877de33bbbaf..d90c899569fd8f1c848a86960a4e2d88550e85a6 100755
--- a/tools/dockerfile/interoptest/grpc_interop_csharpcoreclr/build_interop.sh
+++ b/tools/dockerfile/interoptest/grpc_interop_csharpcoreclr/build_interop.sh
@@ -32,7 +32,11 @@
 set -e
 
 mkdir -p /var/local/git
-git clone --recursive /var/local/jenkins/grpc /var/local/git/grpc
+git clone /var/local/jenkins/grpc /var/local/git/grpc
+# clone gRPC submodules, use data from locally cloned submodules where possible
+(cd /var/local/jenkins/grpc/ && git submodule foreach 'cd /var/local/git/grpc \
+&& git submodule update --init --reference /var/local/jenkins/grpc/${name} \
+${name}')
 
 # copy service account keys if available
 cp -r /var/local/jenkins/service_account $HOME || true
diff --git a/tools/dockerfile/interoptest/grpc_interop_cxx/build_interop.sh b/tools/dockerfile/interoptest/grpc_interop_cxx/build_interop.sh
index 1c0828d23a6ea6ced82f87b80fc91ce7c306bcde..7a7ca0d3d1c0430905dce5eb5c8c47ffc6dc68fd 100755
--- a/tools/dockerfile/interoptest/grpc_interop_cxx/build_interop.sh
+++ b/tools/dockerfile/interoptest/grpc_interop_cxx/build_interop.sh
@@ -32,7 +32,11 @@
 set -e
 
 mkdir -p /var/local/git
-git clone --recursive /var/local/jenkins/grpc /var/local/git/grpc
+git clone /var/local/jenkins/grpc /var/local/git/grpc
+# clone gRPC submodules, use data from locally cloned submodules where possible
+(cd /var/local/jenkins/grpc/ && git submodule foreach 'cd /var/local/git/grpc \
+&& git submodule update --init --reference /var/local/jenkins/grpc/${name} \
+${name}')
 
 # copy service account keys if available
 cp -r /var/local/jenkins/service_account $HOME || true
diff --git a/tools/dockerfile/interoptest/grpc_interop_http2/build_interop.sh b/tools/dockerfile/interoptest/grpc_interop_http2/build_interop.sh
index 46ddaf929a8f39731dce016cc814240556e4d206..a1d668d69fc473d25ce56b317c881c96f8487f3e 100755
--- a/tools/dockerfile/interoptest/grpc_interop_http2/build_interop.sh
+++ b/tools/dockerfile/interoptest/grpc_interop_http2/build_interop.sh
@@ -32,7 +32,11 @@
 set -e
 
 mkdir -p /var/local/git
-git clone --recursive /var/local/jenkins/grpc /var/local/git/grpc
+git clone /var/local/jenkins/grpc /var/local/git/grpc
+# clone gRPC submodules, use data from locally cloned submodules where possible
+(cd /var/local/jenkins/grpc/ && git submodule foreach 'cd /var/local/git/grpc \
+&& git submodule update --init --reference /var/local/jenkins/grpc/${name} \
+${name}')
 
 # copy service account keys if available
 cp -r /var/local/jenkins/service_account $HOME || true
diff --git a/tools/dockerfile/interoptest/grpc_interop_node/build_interop.sh b/tools/dockerfile/interoptest/grpc_interop_node/build_interop.sh
index 976f55d9ab5f514ff1e97b6c3cd49d3cf645fcdd..4116f842ff1264198f27bc053d5e5d14fd00a439 100755
--- a/tools/dockerfile/interoptest/grpc_interop_node/build_interop.sh
+++ b/tools/dockerfile/interoptest/grpc_interop_node/build_interop.sh
@@ -32,7 +32,11 @@
 set -e
 
 mkdir -p /var/local/git
-git clone --recursive /var/local/jenkins/grpc /var/local/git/grpc
+git clone /var/local/jenkins/grpc /var/local/git/grpc
+# clone gRPC submodules, use data from locally cloned submodules where possible
+(cd /var/local/jenkins/grpc/ && git submodule foreach 'cd /var/local/git/grpc \
+&& git submodule update --init --reference /var/local/jenkins/grpc/${name} \
+${name}')
 
 # copy service account keys if available
 cp -r /var/local/jenkins/service_account $HOME || true
diff --git a/tools/dockerfile/interoptest/grpc_interop_php/build_interop.sh b/tools/dockerfile/interoptest/grpc_interop_php/build_interop.sh
index 624d5877862426c5d7911c356d007e763176d515..d64ec7903fcdbcdaadc02a1ff4f84c040d6c254b 100755
--- a/tools/dockerfile/interoptest/grpc_interop_php/build_interop.sh
+++ b/tools/dockerfile/interoptest/grpc_interop_php/build_interop.sh
@@ -32,7 +32,11 @@
 set -ex
 
 mkdir -p /var/local/git
-git clone --recursive /var/local/jenkins/grpc /var/local/git/grpc
+git clone /var/local/jenkins/grpc /var/local/git/grpc
+# clone gRPC submodules, use data from locally cloned submodules where possible
+(cd /var/local/jenkins/grpc/ && git submodule foreach 'cd /var/local/git/grpc \
+&& git submodule update --init --reference /var/local/jenkins/grpc/${name} \
+${name}')
 
 # copy service account keys if available
 cp -r /var/local/jenkins/service_account $HOME || true
diff --git a/tools/dockerfile/interoptest/grpc_interop_php7/build_interop.sh b/tools/dockerfile/interoptest/grpc_interop_php7/build_interop.sh
index 87cb0fe4b21b80ad9705dd075e3c5cbab5ffe24c..fccca4d695b97b6301fa5883249afc44b6d4c90c 100755
--- a/tools/dockerfile/interoptest/grpc_interop_php7/build_interop.sh
+++ b/tools/dockerfile/interoptest/grpc_interop_php7/build_interop.sh
@@ -32,7 +32,11 @@
 set -ex
 
 mkdir -p /var/local/git
-git clone --recursive /var/local/jenkins/grpc /var/local/git/grpc
+git clone /var/local/jenkins/grpc /var/local/git/grpc
+# clone gRPC submodules, use data from locally cloned submodules where possible
+(cd /var/local/jenkins/grpc/ && git submodule foreach 'cd /var/local/git/grpc \
+&& git submodule update --init --reference /var/local/jenkins/grpc/${name} \
+${name}')
 
 # copy service account keys if available
 cp -r /var/local/jenkins/service_account $HOME || true
diff --git a/tools/dockerfile/interoptest/grpc_interop_python/build_interop.sh b/tools/dockerfile/interoptest/grpc_interop_python/build_interop.sh
index f29c59da8e8d6e7e6e80efb7dfe31cdd0451855e..a6f8c7bfe6bd8146dbd307d6ce0abbc475c93df5 100755
--- a/tools/dockerfile/interoptest/grpc_interop_python/build_interop.sh
+++ b/tools/dockerfile/interoptest/grpc_interop_python/build_interop.sh
@@ -32,7 +32,11 @@
 set -e
 
 mkdir -p /var/local/git
-git clone --recursive /var/local/jenkins/grpc /var/local/git/grpc
+git clone /var/local/jenkins/grpc /var/local/git/grpc
+# clone gRPC submodules, use data from locally cloned submodules where possible
+(cd /var/local/jenkins/grpc/ && git submodule foreach 'cd /var/local/git/grpc \
+&& git submodule update --init --reference /var/local/jenkins/grpc/${name} \
+${name}')
 
 # copy service account keys if available
 cp -r /var/local/jenkins/service_account $HOME || true
diff --git a/tools/dockerfile/interoptest/grpc_interop_ruby/build_interop.sh b/tools/dockerfile/interoptest/grpc_interop_ruby/build_interop.sh
index 97b3860f9813a5158aeb658e802a9a292cd6243e..6cd2fa2b147c5406e98a064a05bc5df175c5fddf 100755
--- a/tools/dockerfile/interoptest/grpc_interop_ruby/build_interop.sh
+++ b/tools/dockerfile/interoptest/grpc_interop_ruby/build_interop.sh
@@ -32,7 +32,11 @@
 set -e
 
 mkdir -p /var/local/git
-git clone --recursive /var/local/jenkins/grpc /var/local/git/grpc
+git clone /var/local/jenkins/grpc /var/local/git/grpc
+# clone gRPC submodules, use data from locally cloned submodules where possible
+(cd /var/local/jenkins/grpc/ && git submodule foreach 'cd /var/local/git/grpc \
+&& git submodule update --init --reference /var/local/jenkins/grpc/${name} \
+${name}')
 
 # copy service account keys if available
 cp -r /var/local/jenkins/service_account $HOME || true
diff --git a/tools/dockerfile/stress_test/grpc_interop_stress_csharp/build_interop_stress.sh b/tools/dockerfile/stress_test/grpc_interop_stress_csharp/build_interop_stress.sh
index 1f4bf893cce2f297a8f00f0e5812b572c85513c1..345196894ef6a71e888a3fea739af70548c1f473 100755
--- a/tools/dockerfile/stress_test/grpc_interop_stress_csharp/build_interop_stress.sh
+++ b/tools/dockerfile/stress_test/grpc_interop_stress_csharp/build_interop_stress.sh
@@ -32,7 +32,11 @@
 set -e
 
 mkdir -p /var/local/git
-git clone --recursive /var/local/jenkins/grpc /var/local/git/grpc
+git clone /var/local/jenkins/grpc /var/local/git/grpc
+# clone gRPC submodules, use data from locally cloned submodules where possible
+(cd /var/local/jenkins/grpc/ && git submodule foreach 'cd /var/local/git/grpc \
+&& git submodule update --init --reference /var/local/jenkins/grpc/${name} \
+${name}')
 
 # Copy service account keys if available
 cp -r /var/local/jenkins/service_account $HOME || true
diff --git a/tools/dockerfile/stress_test/grpc_interop_stress_cxx/build_interop_stress.sh b/tools/dockerfile/stress_test/grpc_interop_stress_cxx/build_interop_stress.sh
index b67b1a1664ab1561f601fe7b5b259ad97b1b6b84..92d1f80fe60dad2956df412bad3e49b872bf356b 100755
--- a/tools/dockerfile/stress_test/grpc_interop_stress_cxx/build_interop_stress.sh
+++ b/tools/dockerfile/stress_test/grpc_interop_stress_cxx/build_interop_stress.sh
@@ -32,7 +32,11 @@
 set -e
 
 mkdir -p /var/local/git
-git clone --recursive /var/local/jenkins/grpc /var/local/git/grpc
+git clone /var/local/jenkins/grpc /var/local/git/grpc
+# clone gRPC submodules, use data from locally cloned submodules where possible
+(cd /var/local/jenkins/grpc/ && git submodule foreach 'cd /var/local/git/grpc \
+&& git submodule update --init --reference /var/local/jenkins/grpc/${name} \
+${name}')
 
 # copy service account keys if available
 cp -r /var/local/jenkins/service_account $HOME || true
diff --git a/tools/dockerfile/stress_test/grpc_interop_stress_go/build_interop_stress.sh b/tools/dockerfile/stress_test/grpc_interop_stress_go/build_interop_stress.sh
index 919d885c178d42cf86aae623ac4d568f1d35f803..9e4769cf3341e199206dace883b0207fcf8cd3fb 100755
--- a/tools/dockerfile/stress_test/grpc_interop_stress_go/build_interop_stress.sh
+++ b/tools/dockerfile/stress_test/grpc_interop_stress_go/build_interop_stress.sh
@@ -38,7 +38,11 @@ git clone --recursive /var/local/jenkins/grpc-go src/google.golang.org/grpc
 
 # Clone the 'grpc' repo. We just need this for the wrapper scripts under
 # grpc/tools/gcp/stress_tests
-git clone --recursive /var/local/jenkins/grpc /var/local/git/grpc
+git clone /var/local/jenkins/grpc /var/local/git/grpc
+# clone gRPC submodules, use data from locally cloned submodules where possible
+(cd /var/local/jenkins/grpc/ && git submodule foreach 'cd /var/local/git/grpc \
+&& git submodule update --init --reference /var/local/jenkins/grpc/${name} \
+${name}')
 
 # copy service account keys if available
 cp -r /var/local/jenkins/service_account $HOME || true
diff --git a/tools/dockerfile/stress_test/grpc_interop_stress_java/build_interop_stress.sh b/tools/dockerfile/stress_test/grpc_interop_stress_java/build_interop_stress.sh
index d4fdfbbac962e288f5391349d840fcd5394c3054..0194860d101309dc54a75e3ac754dcf60164eb58 100755
--- a/tools/dockerfile/stress_test/grpc_interop_stress_java/build_interop_stress.sh
+++ b/tools/dockerfile/stress_test/grpc_interop_stress_java/build_interop_stress.sh
@@ -36,7 +36,11 @@ mkdir -p /var/local/git
 git clone --recursive --depth 1 /var/local/jenkins/grpc-java /var/local/git/grpc-java
 
 # grpc repo (for metrics client and for the stress test wrapper scripts)
-git clone --recursive /var/local/jenkins/grpc /var/local/git/grpc
+git clone /var/local/jenkins/grpc /var/local/git/grpc
+# clone gRPC submodules, use data from locally cloned submodules where possible
+(cd /var/local/jenkins/grpc/ && git submodule foreach 'cd /var/local/git/grpc \
+&& git submodule update --init --reference /var/local/jenkins/grpc/${name} \
+${name}')
 
 # Copy service account keys if available
 cp -r /var/local/jenkins/service_account $HOME || true
diff --git a/tools/dockerfile/stress_test/grpc_interop_stress_node/build_interop_stress.sh b/tools/dockerfile/stress_test/grpc_interop_stress_node/build_interop_stress.sh
index 976f55d9ab5f514ff1e97b6c3cd49d3cf645fcdd..4116f842ff1264198f27bc053d5e5d14fd00a439 100755
--- a/tools/dockerfile/stress_test/grpc_interop_stress_node/build_interop_stress.sh
+++ b/tools/dockerfile/stress_test/grpc_interop_stress_node/build_interop_stress.sh
@@ -32,7 +32,11 @@
 set -e
 
 mkdir -p /var/local/git
-git clone --recursive /var/local/jenkins/grpc /var/local/git/grpc
+git clone /var/local/jenkins/grpc /var/local/git/grpc
+# clone gRPC submodules, use data from locally cloned submodules where possible
+(cd /var/local/jenkins/grpc/ && git submodule foreach 'cd /var/local/git/grpc \
+&& git submodule update --init --reference /var/local/jenkins/grpc/${name} \
+${name}')
 
 # copy service account keys if available
 cp -r /var/local/jenkins/service_account $HOME || true
diff --git a/tools/dockerfile/stress_test/grpc_interop_stress_php/build_interop_stress.sh b/tools/dockerfile/stress_test/grpc_interop_stress_php/build_interop_stress.sh
index a671d1501f87c82111cf24ee4e6b358bfc216621..e3cca085a4d7c6a93d021326244720fbffc052ba 100755
--- a/tools/dockerfile/stress_test/grpc_interop_stress_php/build_interop_stress.sh
+++ b/tools/dockerfile/stress_test/grpc_interop_stress_php/build_interop_stress.sh
@@ -32,7 +32,11 @@
 set -ex
 
 mkdir -p /var/local/git
-git clone --recursive /var/local/jenkins/grpc /var/local/git/grpc
+git clone /var/local/jenkins/grpc /var/local/git/grpc
+# clone gRPC submodules, use data from locally cloned submodules where possible
+(cd /var/local/jenkins/grpc/ && git submodule foreach 'cd /var/local/git/grpc \
+&& git submodule update --init --reference /var/local/jenkins/grpc/${name} \
+${name}')
 
 # copy service account keys if available
 cp -r /var/local/jenkins/service_account $HOME || true
diff --git a/tools/dockerfile/stress_test/grpc_interop_stress_python/build_interop_stress.sh b/tools/dockerfile/stress_test/grpc_interop_stress_python/build_interop_stress.sh
index e65332f2f30f50c4898e15b268783eeebae2deef..1c7dc2bd577fc9c6ae630f3bb487de4b5b275de4 100755
--- a/tools/dockerfile/stress_test/grpc_interop_stress_python/build_interop_stress.sh
+++ b/tools/dockerfile/stress_test/grpc_interop_stress_python/build_interop_stress.sh
@@ -32,13 +32,16 @@
 set -e
 
 mkdir -p /var/local/git
-git clone --recursive /var/local/jenkins/grpc /var/local/git/grpc
+git clone /var/local/jenkins/grpc /var/local/git/grpc
+# clone gRPC submodules, use data from locally cloned submodules where possible
+(cd /var/local/jenkins/grpc/ && git submodule foreach 'cd /var/local/git/grpc \
+&& git submodule update --init --reference /var/local/jenkins/grpc/${name} \
+${name}')
 
 # copy service account keys if available
 cp -r /var/local/jenkins/service_account $HOME || true
 
 cd /var/local/git/grpc
-
 tools/run_tests/run_tests.py -l python -c opt --build_only
 
 # Build c++ interop client
diff --git a/tools/dockerfile/stress_test/grpc_interop_stress_ruby/build_interop_stress.sh b/tools/dockerfile/stress_test/grpc_interop_stress_ruby/build_interop_stress.sh
index 1b7567d87a61558125ef0199cc2738f78eda7426..019f0a44e4c1ec60bbf782ee9190936a2bb5cd9c 100755
--- a/tools/dockerfile/stress_test/grpc_interop_stress_ruby/build_interop_stress.sh
+++ b/tools/dockerfile/stress_test/grpc_interop_stress_ruby/build_interop_stress.sh
@@ -32,7 +32,11 @@
 set -e
 
 mkdir -p /var/local/git
-git clone --recursive /var/local/jenkins/grpc /var/local/git/grpc
+git clone /var/local/jenkins/grpc /var/local/git/grpc
+# clone gRPC submodules, use data from locally cloned submodules where possible
+(cd /var/local/jenkins/grpc/ && git submodule foreach 'cd /var/local/git/grpc \
+&& git submodule update --init --reference /var/local/jenkins/grpc/${name} \
+${name}')
 
 # Copy service account keys if available
 cp -r /var/local/jenkins/service_account $HOME || true
diff --git a/tools/dockerfile/test/cxx_wheezy_x64/Dockerfile b/tools/dockerfile/test/cxx_wheezy_x64/Dockerfile
index c25033387f9f452a032e139521065b2c2288e089..f22fcacc1399d88242ae49a548d2e07575f91d8b 100644
--- a/tools/dockerfile/test/cxx_wheezy_x64/Dockerfile
+++ b/tools/dockerfile/test/cxx_wheezy_x64/Dockerfile
@@ -89,6 +89,11 @@ RUN apt-get update && apt-get install -y \
   g++-4.4 \
   g++-4.4-multilib
 
+# set up backport to allow installation of Git version > 1.7
+RUN echo "deb http://http.debian.net/debian wheezy-backports main"   >/etc/apt/sources.list.d/wheezy-backports.list
+RUN apt-get update -qq
+RUN apt-get -t wheezy-backports install -qq git
+
 RUN wget https://openssl.org/source/old/1.0.2/openssl-1.0.2f.tar.gz
 
 ENV POST_GIT_STEP tools/dockerfile/test/cxx_wheezy_x64/post-git-setup.sh
diff --git a/tools/run_tests/dockerize/docker_run.sh b/tools/run_tests/dockerize/docker_run.sh
index f04b1cfb55be69e017ec4b200fa9d6daf9b03207..ee8d288fb2a3da1f5f9604013a9e3095821bd162 100755
--- a/tools/run_tests/dockerize/docker_run.sh
+++ b/tools/run_tests/dockerize/docker_run.sh
@@ -36,7 +36,11 @@ set -ex
 if [ "$RELATIVE_COPY_PATH" == "" ]
 then
   mkdir -p /var/local/git
-  git clone --recursive "$EXTERNAL_GIT_ROOT" /var/local/git/grpc
+  git clone $EXTERNAL_GIT_ROOT /var/local/git/grpc
+  # clone gRPC submodules, use data from locally cloned submodules where possible
+  (cd ${EXTERNAL_GIT_ROOT} && git submodule foreach 'cd /var/local/git/grpc \
+  && git submodule update --init --reference ${EXTERNAL_GIT_ROOT}/${name} \
+  ${name}')
 else
   mkdir -p "/var/local/git/grpc/$RELATIVE_COPY_PATH"
   cp -r "$EXTERNAL_GIT_ROOT/$RELATIVE_COPY_PATH"/* "/var/local/git/grpc/$RELATIVE_COPY_PATH"
diff --git a/tools/run_tests/dockerize/docker_run_tests.sh b/tools/run_tests/dockerize/docker_run_tests.sh
index ef02d266253751c7a4189f524ee0eca9e6a9c628..eb220ae416fea16d82a26ffcba5c3e38cc9c21fd 100755
--- a/tools/run_tests/dockerize/docker_run_tests.sh
+++ b/tools/run_tests/dockerize/docker_run_tests.sh
@@ -42,7 +42,11 @@ export PATH=$PATH:/usr/bin/llvm-symbolizer
 chown $(whoami) $XDG_CACHE_HOME
 
 mkdir -p /var/local/git
-git clone --recursive /var/local/jenkins/grpc /var/local/git/grpc
+git clone  /var/local/jenkins/grpc /var/local/git/grpc
+# clone gRPC submodules, use data from locally cloned submodules where possible
+(cd /var/local/jenkins/grpc/ && git submodule foreach 'cd /var/local/git/grpc \
+&& git submodule update --init --reference /var/local/jenkins/grpc/${name} \
+${name}')
 
 mkdir -p reports