Referencing: https://gitlab.com/python-mode-devs/python-mode/issues/36 I reported a bug because when adding the python-mode repo as a submodule in my project, it shows as "dirty". The maintainers of that module reported back that my bug cannot be reproduced. I upgraded my local install to 2.13.2 on OSX El Capitan. I tried to re-create the issue, and did so successfully. I created a docker container using ubuntu:latest as the base, installed git and tried to recreate the issue. git on ubuntu does not show the submodule as dirty. I upgraded ubuntu's git to 2.13.2 and git still does not show the submodule as dirty. Here is how to reproduce this problem: mkdir test cd test git init git submodule add https://gitlab.com/python-mode-devs/python-mode.git python-mode.el git commit -m 'initial commit' git status On ubuntu: On branch master nothing to commit, working tree clean On OSX: On branch master Changes not staged for commit: (use "git add <file>..." to update what will be committed) (use "git checkout -- <file>..." to discard changes in working directory) (commit or discard the untracked or modified content in submodules) modified: python-mode.el (modified content) no changes added to commit (use "git add" and/or "git commit -a") --- change into the submodule directory and run status cd python-mode.el git status On ubuntu: On branch master Your branch is up-to-date with 'origin/master'. nothing to commit, working directory clean On OSX: On branch master Your branch is up-to-date with 'origin/master'. Changes not staged for commit: (use "git add/rm <file>..." to update what will be committed) (use "git checkout -- <file>..." to discard changes in working directory) deleted: EXTENSIONS no changes added to commit (use "git add" and/or "git commit -a") --- This is a bug because the upstream repo maintainers cannot fix the problem if they cannot see it. dirty/clean reporting should be the consistent across all operating systems.