diff --git a/.github/dependabot.yml b/.github/dependabot.yml
index 3e067c176f..54593c50f7 100644
--- a/.github/dependabot.yml
+++ b/.github/dependabot.yml
@@ -17,3 +17,8 @@ updates:
     schedule:
       interval: "monthly"
     open-pull-requests-limit: 2
+  - package-ecosystem: "gitsubmodule"
+    directory: "/"
+    schedule:
+      interval: "daily"
+    open-pull-requests-limit: 2
diff --git a/.gitmodules b/.gitmodules
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..c69576e9bb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.gitmodules
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+[submodule "pkg/fedora"]
+	path = pkg/fedora
+	url = https://src.fedoraproject.org/rpms/systemd
+	branch = rawhide
+[submodule "pkg/opensuse"]
+	path = pkg/opensuse
+	url = https://code.opensuse.org/package/systemd
+	branch = master
+[submodule "pkg/debian"]
+	path = pkg/debian
+	url = https://salsa.debian.org/systemd-team/systemd
+	branch = debian/master
+[submodule "pkg/centos"]
+	path = pkg/centos
+	url = https://git.centos.org/rpms/systemd
+	branch = c9s-sig-hyperscale
+[submodule "pkg/arch"]
+	path = pkg/arch
+	url = https://gitlab.archlinux.org/daandemeyer/systemd
+	branch = strip
diff --git a/mkosi.images/base/mkosi.conf.d/10-arch/mkosi.conf b/mkosi.images/base/mkosi.conf.d/10-arch/mkosi.conf
index 75dbbb2dde..9cb45cc954 100644
--- a/mkosi.images/base/mkosi.conf.d/10-arch/mkosi.conf
+++ b/mkosi.images/base/mkosi.conf.d/10-arch/mkosi.conf
@@ -10,8 +10,6 @@ InitrdInclude=initrd/
 # https://gitlab.archlinux.org/archlinux/packaging/packages/systemd/-/merge_requests/8 is merged.
 [Content]
 Environment=
-        PKG_URL="https://gitlab.archlinux.org/daandemeyer/systemd"
-        PKG_BRANCH="strip"
         PKG_SUBDIR="arch"
         SYSTEMD_PACKAGES="systemd systemd-ukify systemd-sysvcompat systemd-resolvconf"
 
diff --git a/mkosi.images/base/mkosi.conf.d/10-centos/mkosi.conf b/mkosi.images/base/mkosi.conf.d/10-centos/mkosi.conf
index 607c2d2daf..0f57319c2a 100644
--- a/mkosi.images/base/mkosi.conf.d/10-centos/mkosi.conf
+++ b/mkosi.images/base/mkosi.conf.d/10-centos/mkosi.conf
@@ -5,8 +5,6 @@ Distribution=centos
 
 [Content]
 Environment=
-        PKG_URL="https://git.centos.org/rpms/systemd"
-        PKG_BRANCH="c9s-sig-hyperscale"
         PKG_SUBDIR="centos"
 
 Packages=
diff --git a/mkosi.images/base/mkosi.conf.d/10-debian-ubuntu/mkosi.conf b/mkosi.images/base/mkosi.conf.d/10-debian-ubuntu/mkosi.conf
index f6fc43a848..47f3b7f488 100644
--- a/mkosi.images/base/mkosi.conf.d/10-debian-ubuntu/mkosi.conf
+++ b/mkosi.images/base/mkosi.conf.d/10-debian-ubuntu/mkosi.conf
@@ -9,8 +9,6 @@ InitrdInclude=initrd/
 
 [Content]
 Environment=
-        PKG_URL="https://salsa.debian.org/systemd-team/systemd"
-        PKG_BRANCH="debian/master"
         PKG_SUBDIR="debian"
         SYSTEMD_PACKAGES="systemd
                           systemd-userdbd
diff --git a/mkosi.images/base/mkosi.conf.d/10-fedora/mkosi.conf b/mkosi.images/base/mkosi.conf.d/10-fedora/mkosi.conf
index 1424709cef..a0b9f6f0fe 100644
--- a/mkosi.images/base/mkosi.conf.d/10-fedora/mkosi.conf
+++ b/mkosi.images/base/mkosi.conf.d/10-fedora/mkosi.conf
@@ -5,8 +5,6 @@ Distribution=fedora
 
 [Content]
 Environment=
-        PKG_URL="https://src.fedoraproject.org/rpms/systemd"
-        PKG_BRANCH="rawhide"
         PKG_SUBDIR="fedora"
 
 Packages=
diff --git a/mkosi.images/base/mkosi.conf.d/10-opensuse/mkosi.conf b/mkosi.images/base/mkosi.conf.d/10-opensuse/mkosi.conf
index 1fca47b7cb..63498c5098 100644
--- a/mkosi.images/base/mkosi.conf.d/10-opensuse/mkosi.conf
+++ b/mkosi.images/base/mkosi.conf.d/10-opensuse/mkosi.conf
@@ -8,8 +8,6 @@ InitrdInclude=initrd/
 
 [Content]
 Environment=
-        PKG_URL="https://code.opensuse.org/package/systemd"
-        PKG_BRANCH="master"
         PKG_SUBDIR="opensuse"
         SYSTEMD_PACKAGES="systemd
                           udev
diff --git a/mkosi.images/base/mkosi.sync b/mkosi.images/base/mkosi.sync
index b95a73bc08..72b5cf7c33 100755
--- a/mkosi.images/base/mkosi.sync
+++ b/mkosi.images/base/mkosi.sync
@@ -2,12 +2,7 @@
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: LGPL-2.1-or-later
 set -e
 
-if ((CACHED)); then
-    exit 0
-fi
-
-if [ -z "$(ls --almost-all "pkg/$PKG_SUBDIR")" ]; then
-    git clone "$PKG_URL" --branch "$PKG_BRANCH" "pkg/$PKG_SUBDIR"
-elif [ -d "pkg/$PKG_SUBDIR/.git" ] && [ "$(git -C "pkg/$PKG_SUBDIR" rev-parse --abbrev-ref HEAD)" = "$PKG_BRANCH" ]; then
-    git -C "pkg/$PKG_SUBDIR" pull
+if [ -z "$(ls --almost-all "pkg/$PKG_SUBDIR")" ] || [ -f "pkg/$PKG_SUBDIR/.git" ]; then
+    git submodule sync "pkg/$PKG_SUBDIR"
+    git submodule update --init "pkg/$PKG_SUBDIR"
 fi
diff --git a/pkg/arch b/pkg/arch
new file mode 160000
index 0000000000..733045c8f6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/arch
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Subproject commit 733045c8f6b0acf2f0cfaac207500483a678f4d2
diff --git a/pkg/centos b/pkg/centos
new file mode 160000
index 0000000000..3cf45106c8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/centos
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Subproject commit 3cf45106c8bc5a050901851be6b2ac85b6f5c571
diff --git a/pkg/debian b/pkg/debian
new file mode 160000
index 0000000000..49132a870d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/debian
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Subproject commit 49132a870dfe281e1973a8c44acffb87a1db5336
diff --git a/pkg/fedora b/pkg/fedora
new file mode 160000
index 0000000000..2822a03dde
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/fedora
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Subproject commit 2822a03dded26b9453bddbba7c6a152de8204aec
diff --git a/pkg/opensuse b/pkg/opensuse
new file mode 160000
index 0000000000..37aca188c2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/opensuse
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Subproject commit 37aca188c2ef606319217b30ff8b0c66df6c60f1