diff --git a/docs/Config.md b/docs/Config.md
index cf65be3da..d64a7b94b 100644
--- a/docs/Config.md
+++ b/docs/Config.md
@@ -166,6 +166,7 @@ Default path for the config file:
       pickBothHunks: 'b'
     submodules:
       init: 'i'
+      update: 'u'
 ```
 
 ## Platform Defaults
diff --git a/pkg/commands/submodules.go b/pkg/commands/submodules.go
index 19debf890..1444890f7 100644
--- a/pkg/commands/submodules.go
+++ b/pkg/commands/submodules.go
@@ -101,7 +101,8 @@ func (c *GitCommand) SubmoduleDelete(submodule *models.SubmoduleConfig) error {
 	}
 
 	if err := c.OSCommand.RunCommand("git rm --force -r %s", submodule.Path); err != nil {
-		return err
+		// if the directory isn't there then that's fine
+		c.Log.Error(err)
 	}
 
 	return os.RemoveAll(filepath.Join(c.DotGitDir, "modules", submodule.Path))
@@ -128,3 +129,7 @@ func (c *GitCommand) SubmoduleUpdateUrl(name string, path string, newUrl string)
 func (c *GitCommand) SubmoduleInit(path string) error {
 	return c.OSCommand.RunCommand("git submodule init %s", path)
 }
+
+func (c *GitCommand) SubmoduleUpdate(path string) error {
+	return c.OSCommand.RunCommand("git submodule update --init %s", path)
+}
diff --git a/pkg/config/app_config.go b/pkg/config/app_config.go
index cd13e3bbc..28742c6cf 100644
--- a/pkg/config/app_config.go
+++ b/pkg/config/app_config.go
@@ -395,6 +395,7 @@ keybinding:
     pickBothHunks: 'b'
   submodules:
     init: 'i'
+    update: 'u'
 `)
 }
 
diff --git a/pkg/gui/keybindings.go b/pkg/gui/keybindings.go
index 992f32313..5cd794dcc 100644
--- a/pkg/gui/keybindings.go
+++ b/pkg/gui/keybindings.go
@@ -1587,19 +1587,18 @@ func (gui *Gui) GetInitialKeybindings() []*Binding {
 			Description: gui.Tr.SLocalize("enterSubmodule"),
 		},
 		{
-			ViewName: "files",
-			Contexts: []string{SUBMODULES_CONTEXT_KEY},
-			Key:      gui.getKey("universal.remove"),
-
-			Handler:     gui.forSubmodule(gui.handleRemoveSubmodule),
-			Description: gui.Tr.SLocalize("removeSubmodule"),
+			ViewName:    "files",
+			Contexts:    []string{SUBMODULES_CONTEXT_KEY},
+			Key:         gui.getKey("universal.remove"),
+			Handler:     gui.forSubmodule(gui.handleResetRemoveSubmodule),
+			Description: gui.Tr.SLocalize("viewResetAndRemoveOptions"),
 		},
 		{
 			ViewName:    "files",
 			Contexts:    []string{SUBMODULES_CONTEXT_KEY},
-			Key:         gui.getKey("u"),
-			Handler:     gui.forSubmodule(gui.handleResetSubmodule),
-			Description: gui.Tr.SLocalize("submoduleStashAndReset"),
+			Key:         gui.getKey("submodules.update"),
+			Handler:     gui.forSubmodule(gui.handleUpdateSubmodule),
+			Description: gui.Tr.SLocalize("submoduleUpdate"),
 		},
 		{
 			ViewName:    "files",
diff --git a/pkg/gui/submodules_panel.go b/pkg/gui/submodules_panel.go
index d9951f2f0..c620efbbe 100644
--- a/pkg/gui/submodules_panel.go
+++ b/pkg/gui/submodules_panel.go
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ func (gui *Gui) enterSubmodule(submodule *models.SubmoduleConfig) error {
 	return gui.dispatchSwitchToRepo(submodule.Path)
 }
 
-func (gui *Gui) handleRemoveSubmodule(submodule *models.SubmoduleConfig) error {
+func (gui *Gui) removeSubmodule(submodule *models.SubmoduleConfig) error {
 	return gui.ask(askOpts{
 		title:  gui.Tr.SLocalize("RemoveSubmodule"),
 		prompt: gui.Tr.SLocalizef("RemoveSubmodulePrompt", submodule.Name),
@@ -174,3 +174,31 @@ func (gui *Gui) forSubmodule(callback func(*models.SubmoduleConfig) error) func(
 		},
 	)
 }
+
+func (gui *Gui) handleResetRemoveSubmodule(submodule *models.SubmoduleConfig) error {
+	menuItems := []*menuItem{
+		{
+			displayString: gui.Tr.SLocalize("submoduleStashAndReset"),
+			onPress: func() error {
+				return gui.resetSubmodule(submodule)
+			},
+		},
+		{
+			displayString: gui.Tr.SLocalize("removeSubmodule"),
+			onPress: func() error {
+				return gui.removeSubmodule(submodule)
+			},
+		},
+	}
+
+	return gui.createMenu(submodule.Name, menuItems, createMenuOptions{showCancel: true})
+}
+
+func (gui *Gui) handleUpdateSubmodule(submodule *models.SubmoduleConfig) error {
+	return gui.WithWaitingStatus(gui.Tr.SLocalize("updatingSubmoduleStatus"), func() error {
+		err := gui.GitCommand.SubmoduleUpdate(submodule.Path)
+		gui.handleCredentialsPopup(err)
+
+		return gui.refreshSidePanels(refreshOptions{scope: []int{SUBMODULES}})
+	})
+}
diff --git a/pkg/i18n/english.go b/pkg/i18n/english.go
index 2b3e65e4f..4d84326fe 100644
--- a/pkg/i18n/english.go
+++ b/pkg/i18n/english.go
@@ -1245,6 +1245,15 @@ func addEnglish(i18nObject *i18n.Bundle) error {
 		}, &i18n.Message{
 			ID:    "initSubmodule",
 			Other: "initialize submodule",
+		}, &i18n.Message{
+			ID:    "viewResetAndRemoveOptions",
+			Other: "view reset and remove submodule options",
+		}, &i18n.Message{
+			ID:    "submoduleUpdate",
+			Other: "update submodule",
+		}, &i18n.Message{
+			ID:    "updatingSubmoduleStatus",
+			Other: "updating submodule",
 		},
 	)
 }