diff --git a/.travis.yml b/.travis.yml
index cc015bda39..077fca20af 100644
--- a/.travis.yml
+++ b/.travis.yml
@@ -32,8 +32,8 @@ jobs:
         - sudo apt-get install libnewlib-arm-none-eabi
         - arm-none-eabi-gcc --version
       script:
-        - git submodule update --init lib/lwip lib/mbedtls lib/stm32lib lib/mynewt-nimble
         - make ${MAKEOPTS} -C mpy-cross
+        - make ${MAKEOPTS} -C ports/stm32 submodules
         - make ${MAKEOPTS} -C ports/stm32 BOARD=NUCLEO_F091RC
         - make ${MAKEOPTS} -C ports/stm32 BOARD=PYBV11 MICROPY_PY_WIZNET5K=5200 MICROPY_PY_CC3K=1
         - make ${MAKEOPTS} -C ports/stm32 BOARD=PYBD_SF2
@@ -66,8 +66,8 @@ jobs:
         - gcc --version
         - python3 --version
       script:
-        - git submodule update --init lib/axtls lib/berkeley-db-1.xx lib/libffi
         - make ${MAKEOPTS} -C mpy-cross
+        - make ${MAKEOPTS} -C ports/unix submodules
         - make ${MAKEOPTS} -C ports/unix deplibs
         - make ${MAKEOPTS} -C ports/unix coverage
         # run the main test suite
@@ -87,8 +87,8 @@ jobs:
     - stage: test
       env: NAME="unix port build and tests"
       script:
-        - git submodule update --init lib/axtls lib/berkeley-db-1.xx lib/libffi
         - make ${MAKEOPTS} -C mpy-cross
+        - make ${MAKEOPTS} -C ports/unix submodules
         - make ${MAKEOPTS} -C ports/unix deplibs
         - make ${MAKEOPTS} -C ports/unix
         - make ${MAKEOPTS} -C ports/unix test
@@ -100,8 +100,8 @@ jobs:
       install:
         - sudo apt-get install gcc-multilib libffi-dev:i386
       script:
-        - git submodule update --init lib/axtls lib/berkeley-db-1.xx lib/libffi
         - make ${MAKEOPTS} -C mpy-cross PYTHON=python2
+        - make ${MAKEOPTS} -C ports/unix submodules
         - make ${MAKEOPTS} -C ports/unix PYTHON=python2 deplibs
         - make ${MAKEOPTS} -C ports/unix PYTHON=python2 nanbox
         - (cd tests && MICROPY_CPYTHON3=python3 MICROPY_MICROPYTHON=../ports/unix/micropython_nanbox ./run-tests)
@@ -112,8 +112,8 @@ jobs:
       install:
         - sudo apt-get install clang
       script:
-        - git submodule update --init lib/axtls lib/berkeley-db-1.xx lib/libffi
         - make ${MAKEOPTS} -C mpy-cross CC=clang
+        - make ${MAKEOPTS} -C ports/unix submodules
         - make ${MAKEOPTS} -C ports/unix CC=clang CFLAGS_EXTRA="-DMICROPY_STACKLESS=1 -DMICROPY_STACKLESS_STRICT=1"
         - make ${MAKEOPTS} -C ports/unix CC=clang test
 
@@ -149,11 +149,11 @@ jobs:
         - git clone https://github.com/espressif/esp-idf.git
         - export IDF_PATH=$(pwd)/esp-idf
       script:
-        - git submodule update --init lib/berkeley-db-1.xx
         - make ${MAKEOPTS} -C mpy-cross
         # IDF v3 build
         - git -C esp-idf checkout $(grep "ESPIDF_SUPHASH_V3 :=" ports/esp32/Makefile | cut -d " " -f 3)
         - git -C esp-idf submodule update --init components/json/cJSON components/esp32/lib components/esptool_py/esptool components/expat/expat components/lwip/lwip components/mbedtls/mbedtls components/micro-ecc/micro-ecc components/nghttp/nghttp2
+        - make ${MAKEOPTS} -C ports/esp32 submodules
         - make ${MAKEOPTS} -C ports/esp32
         # clean
         - git -C esp-idf clean -f -f -d components/json/cJSON components/esp32/lib components/expat/expat components/micro-ecc/micro-ecc components/nghttp/nghttp2
@@ -161,6 +161,7 @@ jobs:
         # IDF v4 build
         - git -C esp-idf checkout $(grep "ESPIDF_SUPHASH_V4 :=" ports/esp32/Makefile | cut -d " " -f 3)
         - git -C esp-idf submodule update --init components/bt/controller/lib components/bt/host/nimble/nimble components/esp_wifi/lib_esp32 components/esptool_py/esptool components/lwip/lwip components/mbedtls/mbedtls
+        - make ${MAKEOPTS} -C ports/esp32 submodules
         - make ${MAKEOPTS} -C ports/esp32
 
     # esp8266 port
@@ -171,8 +172,8 @@ jobs:
         - zcat xtensa-lx106-elf-standalone.tar.gz | tar x
         - export PATH=$(pwd)/xtensa-lx106-elf/bin:$PATH
       script:
-        - git submodule update --init lib/axtls lib/berkeley-db-1.xx
         - make ${MAKEOPTS} -C mpy-cross
+        - make ${MAKEOPTS} -C ports/esp8266 submodules
         - make ${MAKEOPTS} -C ports/esp8266
         - make ${MAKEOPTS} -C ports/esp8266 BOARD=GENERIC_512K
 
@@ -184,7 +185,7 @@ jobs:
         - sudo apt-get install libnewlib-arm-none-eabi
         - arm-none-eabi-gcc --version
       script:
-        - git submodule update --init lib/nrfx
+        - make ${MAKEOPTS} -C ports/nrf submodules
         - make ${MAKEOPTS} -C ports/nrf
 
     # bare-arm and minimal ports
@@ -220,7 +221,7 @@ jobs:
         - sudo apt-get install gcc-arm-none-eabi
         - sudo apt-get install libnewlib-arm-none-eabi
       script:
-        - git submodule update --init lib/asf4 lib/tinyusb
+        - make ${MAKEOPTS} -C ports/samd submodules
         - make ${MAKEOPTS} -C ports/samd
 
     # teensy port