diff --git a/.github/workflows/selfdrive_tests.yaml b/.github/workflows/selfdrive_tests.yaml
index 25fc258634..3edb6c2981 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/selfdrive_tests.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/selfdrive_tests.yaml
@@ -51,10 +51,6 @@ jobs:
       timeout-minutes: 1
       run: TARGET_DIR=$STRIPPED_DIR release/build_devel.sh
     - uses: ./.github/workflows/setup-with-retry
-    - name: Check submodules
-      if: github.repository == 'commaai/openpilot'
-      timeout-minutes: 3
-      run: release/check-submodules.sh
     - name: Build openpilot and run checks
       timeout-minutes: ${{ ((steps.restore-scons-cache.outputs.cache-hit == 'true') && 10 || 30) }} # allow more time when we missed the scons cache
       run: |
@@ -65,6 +61,10 @@ jobs:
       run: |
         cd $STRIPPED_DIR
         ${{ env.RUN }} "release/check-dirty.sh"
+    - name: Check submodules
+      if: github.repository == 'commaai/openpilot'
+      timeout-minutes: 3
+      run: release/check-submodules.sh
 
   build:
     runs-on: