diff --git a/submodule.c b/submodule.c
index 45ccfb7ab4..9f0b544ebe 100644
--- a/submodule.c
+++ b/submodule.c
@@ -1023,13 +1023,6 @@ int ok_to_remove_submodule(const char *path)
 {
 	ssize_t len;
 	struct child_process cp = CHILD_PROCESS_INIT;
-	const char *argv[] = {
-		"status",
-		"--porcelain",
-		"-u",
-		"--ignore-submodules=none",
-		NULL,
-	};
 	struct strbuf buf = STRBUF_INIT;
 	int ok_to_remove = 1;
 
@@ -1039,14 +1032,15 @@ int ok_to_remove_submodule(const char *path)
 	if (!submodule_uses_gitfile(path))
 		return 0;
 
-	cp.argv = argv;
+	argv_array_pushl(&cp.args, "status", "--porcelain", "-u",
+				   "--ignore-submodules=none", NULL);
 	prepare_submodule_repo_env(&cp.env_array);
 	cp.git_cmd = 1;
 	cp.no_stdin = 1;
 	cp.out = -1;
 	cp.dir = path;
 	if (start_command(&cp))
-		die("Could not run 'git status --porcelain -uall --ignore-submodules=none' in submodule %s", path);
+		die(_("could not run 'git status --porcelain -u --ignore-submodules=none' in submodule %s"), path);
 
 	len = strbuf_read(&buf, cp.out, 1024);
 	if (len > 2)
@@ -1054,7 +1048,7 @@ int ok_to_remove_submodule(const char *path)
 	close(cp.out);
 
 	if (finish_command(&cp))
-		die("'git status --porcelain -uall --ignore-submodules=none' failed in submodule %s", path);
+		die(_("'git status --porcelain -u --ignore-submodules=none' failed in submodule %s"), path);
 
 	strbuf_release(&buf);
 	return ok_to_remove;