diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index f56b2c43..a14f0bf1 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ update-submodule:
 
 install: SHELL:=/bin/bash
 install:
-	git submodule update --init --recursive
+	source ./gw_util.sh && init_submodule_if_empty
 	docker run --rm -v `pwd`/godwoken-examples:/app -w=/app nervos/godwoken-prebuilds:v0.2.1 yarn
 # if manual build web3
 	if [ "$(MANUAL_BUILD_WEB3)" = true ] ; then \
diff --git a/gw_util.sh b/gw_util.sh
index 57497116..73cb10d2 100755
--- a/gw_util.sh
+++ b/gw_util.sh
@@ -223,3 +223,11 @@ update_godwoken_dockerfile_to_manual_mode(){
     File="docker/layer2/Dockerfile"
     sed -i 's/FROM .*/FROM retricsu\/godwoken-manual-build:latest/' $File
 }
+
+init_submodule_if_empty(){
+    # if submodule folder is empty and not initialized
+    if [[ -z "$(ls -A godwoken)" || -z "$(ls -A godwoken-examples)" || -z "$(ls -A godwoken-polyjuice)" || -z "$(ls -A godwoken-web3)" || -z "$(ls -A godwoken-scripts)" ]]; then
+       echo "one or more of submodule folders is Empty, do init and update first."
+       git submodule update --init --recursive
+    fi
+}