diff --git a/t/lib-submodule-update.sh b/t/lib-submodule-update.sh
index f0b1b18206..0272c4d8ca 100755
--- a/t/lib-submodule-update.sh
+++ b/t/lib-submodule-update.sh
@@ -781,8 +781,9 @@ test_submodule_forced_switch () {
 # - Removing a submodule with a git directory absorbs the submodules
 #   git directory first into the superproject.
 
-test_submodule_switch_recursing () {
-	command="$1"
+test_submodule_switch_recursing_with_args () {
+	cmd_args="$1"
+	command="git $cmd_args --recurse-submodules"
 	RESULTDS=success
 	if test "$KNOWN_FAILURE_DIRECTORY_SUBMODULE_CONFLICTS" = 1
 	then
@@ -1021,8 +1022,9 @@ test_submodule_switch_recursing () {
 # Test that submodule contents are updated when switching between commits
 # that change a submodule, but throwing away local changes in
 # the superproject as well as the submodule is allowed.
-test_submodule_forced_switch_recursing () {
-	command="$1"
+test_submodule_forced_switch_recursing_with_args () {
+	cmd_args="$1"
+	command="git $cmd_args --recurse-submodules"
 	RESULT=success
 	if test "$KNOWN_FAILURE_DIRECTORY_SUBMODULE_CONFLICTS" = 1
 	then
diff --git a/t/t1013-read-tree-submodule.sh b/t/t1013-read-tree-submodule.sh
index de1ba02dc5..2c8d620324 100755
--- a/t/t1013-read-tree-submodule.sh
+++ b/t/t1013-read-tree-submodule.sh
@@ -9,9 +9,9 @@ KNOWN_FAILURE_SUBMODULE_RECURSIVE_NESTED=1
 KNOWN_FAILURE_DIRECTORY_SUBMODULE_CONFLICTS=1
 KNOWN_FAILURE_SUBMODULE_OVERWRITE_IGNORED_UNTRACKED=1
 
-test_submodule_switch_recursing "git read-tree --recurse-submodules -u -m"
+test_submodule_switch_recursing_with_args "read-tree -u -m"
 
-test_submodule_forced_switch_recursing "git read-tree --recurse-submodules -u --reset"
+test_submodule_forced_switch_recursing_with_args "read-tree -u --reset"
 
 test_submodule_switch "git read-tree -u -m"
 
diff --git a/t/t2013-checkout-submodule.sh b/t/t2013-checkout-submodule.sh
index e8f70b806f..c962a02277 100755
--- a/t/t2013-checkout-submodule.sh
+++ b/t/t2013-checkout-submodule.sh
@@ -65,9 +65,9 @@ test_expect_success '"checkout <submodule>" honors submodule.*.ignore from .git/
 
 KNOWN_FAILURE_DIRECTORY_SUBMODULE_CONFLICTS=1
 KNOWN_FAILURE_SUBMODULE_RECURSIVE_NESTED=1
-test_submodule_switch_recursing "git checkout --recurse-submodules"
+test_submodule_switch_recursing_with_args "checkout"
 
-test_submodule_forced_switch_recursing "git checkout -f --recurse-submodules"
+test_submodule_forced_switch_recursing_with_args "checkout -f"
 
 test_submodule_switch "git checkout"
 
diff --git a/t/t7112-reset-submodule.sh b/t/t7112-reset-submodule.sh
index f86ccdf215..a1cb9ff858 100755
--- a/t/t7112-reset-submodule.sh
+++ b/t/t7112-reset-submodule.sh
@@ -9,9 +9,9 @@ KNOWN_FAILURE_SUBMODULE_RECURSIVE_NESTED=1
 KNOWN_FAILURE_DIRECTORY_SUBMODULE_CONFLICTS=1
 KNOWN_FAILURE_SUBMODULE_OVERWRITE_IGNORED_UNTRACKED=1
 
-test_submodule_switch_recursing "git reset --recurse-submodules --keep"
+test_submodule_switch_recursing_with_args "reset --keep"
 
-test_submodule_forced_switch_recursing "git reset --hard --recurse-submodules"
+test_submodule_forced_switch_recursing_with_args "reset --hard"
 
 test_submodule_switch "git reset --keep"