diff --git a/.github/dependabot.yml b/.github/dependabot.yml
index 54593c50f7b..3e067c176fd 100644
--- a/.github/dependabot.yml
+++ b/.github/dependabot.yml
@@ -17,8 +17,3 @@ 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
index 7ae6ace6802..e69de29bb2d 100644
--- a/.gitmodules
+++ b/.gitmodules
@@ -1,20 +0,0 @@
-[submodule "pkg/fedora"]
-	path = pkg/fedora
-	url = https://src.fedoraproject.org/rpms/systemd.git
-	branch = rawhide
-[submodule "pkg/opensuse"]
-	path = pkg/opensuse
-	url = https://code.opensuse.org/package/systemd.git
-	branch = master
-[submodule "pkg/debian"]
-	path = pkg/debian
-	url = https://salsa.debian.org/systemd-team/systemd.git
-	branch = debian/master
-[submodule "pkg/centos"]
-	path = pkg/centos
-	url = https://git.centos.org/rpms/systemd.git
-	branch = c9s-sig-hyperscale
-[submodule "pkg/arch"]
-	path = pkg/arch
-	url = https://gitlab.archlinux.org/archlinux/packaging/packages/systemd.git
-	branch = main
diff --git a/docs/HACKING.md b/docs/HACKING.md
index 980a45929eb..51499d7f798 100644
--- a/docs/HACKING.md
+++ b/docs/HACKING.md
@@ -22,15 +22,6 @@ If adding a new source file, consider adding a matching test executable.
 For features at a higher level, tests in `src/test/` are very strongly recommended.
 If that is not possible, integration tests in `test/` are encouraged.
 
-```shell
-$ git config submodule.recurse true
-$ git config fetch.recurseSubmodules on-demand
-$ git config push.recurseSubmodules no
-$ cp .git/hooks/pre-commit.sample .git/hooks/pre-commit
-$ cp tools/git-submodule-update-hook.sh .git/hooks/post-rewrite
-$ cp tools/git-submodule-update-hook.sh .git/hooks/post-checkout
-```
-
 Please always test your work before submitting a PR.
 For many of the components of systemd testing is straightforward as you can simply compile systemd and run the relevant tool from the build directory.
 
diff --git a/mkosi.images/system/mkosi.conf.d/10-arch/mkosi.conf b/mkosi.images/system/mkosi.conf.d/10-arch/mkosi.conf
index 942db4cb967..9c7d09d6562 100644
--- a/mkosi.images/system/mkosi.conf.d/10-arch/mkosi.conf
+++ b/mkosi.images/system/mkosi.conf.d/10-arch/mkosi.conf
@@ -4,6 +4,11 @@
 Distribution=arch
 
 [Content]
+Environment=
+        GIT_URL=https://gitlab.archlinux.org/archlinux/packaging/packages/systemd.git
+        GIT_BRANCH=main
+        GIT_COMMIT=dc6c099e0785753c1c88b4adcbcbfc209a8d12e3
+
 VolatilePackages=
         systemd
         systemd-libs
diff --git a/mkosi.images/system/mkosi.conf.d/10-centos/mkosi.conf b/mkosi.images/system/mkosi.conf.d/10-centos/mkosi.conf
index 15f888168dc..395a22b56a8 100644
--- a/mkosi.images/system/mkosi.conf.d/10-centos/mkosi.conf
+++ b/mkosi.images/system/mkosi.conf.d/10-centos/mkosi.conf
@@ -4,6 +4,11 @@
 Distribution=centos
 
 [Content]
+Environment=
+        GIT_URL=https://git.centos.org/rpms/systemd.git
+        GIT_BRANCH=c9s-sig-hyperscale
+        GIT_COMMIT=8cf2aed0181920611421384f7374720db269d6c7
+
 Packages=
         kernel-modules # For squashfs
         rpmautospec-rpm-macros
diff --git a/mkosi.images/system/mkosi.conf.d/10-debian-ubuntu/mkosi.conf b/mkosi.images/system/mkosi.conf.d/10-debian-ubuntu/mkosi.conf
index 7e870ace870..047dbc1dc3d 100644
--- a/mkosi.images/system/mkosi.conf.d/10-debian-ubuntu/mkosi.conf
+++ b/mkosi.images/system/mkosi.conf.d/10-debian-ubuntu/mkosi.conf
@@ -5,6 +5,11 @@ Distribution=|debian
 Distribution=|ubuntu
 
 [Content]
+Environment=
+        GIT_URL=https://salsa.debian.org/systemd-team/systemd.git
+        GIT_BRANCH=debian/master
+        GIT_COMMIT=18201fa98d74172fa1a17242326e3275995cde13
+
 VolatilePackages=
         libnss-myhostname
         libnss-mymachines
diff --git a/mkosi.images/system/mkosi.conf.d/10-fedora/mkosi.conf b/mkosi.images/system/mkosi.conf.d/10-fedora/mkosi.conf
index 3acec1092c3..7b122e3c699 100644
--- a/mkosi.images/system/mkosi.conf.d/10-fedora/mkosi.conf
+++ b/mkosi.images/system/mkosi.conf.d/10-fedora/mkosi.conf
@@ -4,6 +4,11 @@
 Distribution=fedora
 
 [Content]
+Environment=
+        GIT_URL=https://src.fedoraproject.org/rpms/systemd.git
+        GIT_BRANCH=rawhide
+        GIT_COMMIT=74810c5bc4fe7d872e54c253447ffd61bbc8839f
+
 Packages=
         btrfs-progs
         compsize
diff --git a/mkosi.images/system/mkosi.conf.d/10-opensuse/mkosi.conf b/mkosi.images/system/mkosi.conf.d/10-opensuse/mkosi.conf
index b3172bfc143..90844d4db40 100644
--- a/mkosi.images/system/mkosi.conf.d/10-opensuse/mkosi.conf
+++ b/mkosi.images/system/mkosi.conf.d/10-opensuse/mkosi.conf
@@ -7,6 +7,11 @@ Distribution=opensuse
 InitrdInclude=initrd/
 
 [Content]
+Environment=
+        GIT_URL=https://src.opensuse.org/rpm/systemd
+        GIT_BRANCH=factory
+        GIT_COMMIT=28c9bef337dd47c88adc1d948cedfdc79c788e2955f17a534bd76da6419722dd
+
 VolatilePackages=
         systemd
         systemd-boot
diff --git a/mkosi.images/system/mkosi.sync b/mkosi.images/system/mkosi.sync
index 3e42a09b2c6..a4f0ab94ec1 100755
--- a/mkosi.images/system/mkosi.sync
+++ b/mkosi.images/system/mkosi.sync
@@ -2,8 +2,21 @@
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: LGPL-2.1-or-later
 set -e
 
-if [ -z "$(ls --almost-all "pkg/$DISTRIBUTION")" ] || [ -f "pkg/$DISTRIBUTION/.git" ]; then
-    PKG_SUBDIR="$(realpath "pkg/$DISTRIBUTION" --relative-to "$PWD")"
-    git submodule sync "$PKG_SUBDIR"
-    git submodule update --init "$PKG_SUBDIR"
+if ((NO_SYNC)); then
+    exit 0
 fi
+
+PKG_SUBDIR="$(realpath --canonicalize-missing "pkg/$DISTRIBUTION" --relative-to "$PWD")"
+
+if [[ -d "$PKG_SUBDIR/.git" ]] && [[ "$(git -C "$PKG_SUBDIR" rev-parse HEAD)" == "$GIT_COMMIT" ]]; then
+    exit 0
+fi
+
+if [[ ! -e "$PKG_SUBDIR" ]] || [[ -z "$(ls --almost-all "$PKG_SUBDIR")" ]]; then
+    git clone "$GIT_URL" --branch "$GIT_BRANCH" "$PKG_SUBDIR"
+else
+    git -C "$PKG_SUBDIR" remote set-url origin "$GIT_URL"
+    git -C "$PKG_SUBDIR" fetch origin "$GIT_BRANCH"
+fi
+
+git -C "$PKG_SUBDIR" -c advice.detachedHead=false checkout "$GIT_COMMIT"
diff --git a/pkg/arch b/pkg/arch
deleted file mode 160000
index b578e90bb68..00000000000
--- a/pkg/arch
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Subproject commit b578e90bb68deaae28300300c57b6a99c916b201
diff --git a/pkg/centos b/pkg/centos
deleted file mode 160000
index 61bb5f47014..00000000000
--- a/pkg/centos
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Subproject commit 61bb5f47014707a927bc033a21e8dbf685c5d2c5
diff --git a/pkg/debian b/pkg/debian
deleted file mode 160000
index 824c52fafc3..00000000000
--- a/pkg/debian
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Subproject commit 824c52fafc3afda4c8ad3892596e8243c3b45c91
diff --git a/pkg/fedora b/pkg/fedora
deleted file mode 160000
index 8fe1f037d21..00000000000
--- a/pkg/fedora
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Subproject commit 8fe1f037d21c9d68d96728843f22e5036d769521
diff --git a/pkg/opensuse b/pkg/opensuse
deleted file mode 160000
index c3399411ac7..00000000000
--- a/pkg/opensuse
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Subproject commit c3399411ac70a440ca9080d6df391eb897bba4e9
diff --git a/tools/git-setup.sh b/tools/git-setup.sh
index 8cc1bfdfc2a..b5903b4ca10 100755
--- a/tools/git-setup.sh
+++ b/tools/git-setup.sh
@@ -4,12 +4,6 @@ set -eu
 
 cd "${MESON_SOURCE_ROOT:?}"
 
-if [ -e .git ]; then
-    git config submodule.recurse true
-    git config fetch.recurseSubmodules on-demand
-    git config push.recurseSubmodules no
-fi
-
 ret=2
 
 if [ -f .git/hooks/pre-commit.sample ] && [ ! -f .git/hooks/pre-commit ]; then
@@ -19,16 +13,4 @@ if [ -f .git/hooks/pre-commit.sample ] && [ ! -f .git/hooks/pre-commit ]; then
     ret=0
 fi
 
-if [ ! -f .git/hooks/post-rewrite ]; then
-    cp -p tools/git-submodule-update-hook.sh .git/hooks/post-rewrite
-    echo 'Activated post-rewrite hook'
-    ret=0
-fi
-
-if [ ! -f .git/hooks/post-checkout ]; then
-    cp -p tools/git-submodule-update-hook.sh .git/hooks/post-checkout
-    echo 'Activated post-checkout hook'
-    ret=0
-fi
-
 exit $ret
diff --git a/tools/git-submodule-update-hook.sh b/tools/git-submodule-update-hook.sh
deleted file mode 100755
index 78feb9dbbae..00000000000
--- a/tools/git-submodule-update-hook.sh
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,4 +0,0 @@
-#!/bin/sh
-# SPDX-License-Identifier: LGPL-2.1-or-later
-
-exec git submodule update