diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 197e9e4..b6c339b 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ $(__Wl_clipboard):
 ### PHONY targets that a user would run ###
 .PHONY : all
 all:
-	ifneq ($(git submodule status | grep --quiet '^-' ; echo $$?), 1)
+	ifneq ($(shell test git submodule status | grep --quiet '^-' ; echo $$?), 1)
 		$(error "Git submodules have not been initialised. Please run: git \
 "submodule update --init")
 	endif