diff --git a/builtin/submodule--helper.c b/builtin/submodule--helper.c
index 63008970f1..fe32abd45e 100644
--- a/builtin/submodule--helper.c
+++ b/builtin/submodule--helper.c
@@ -1557,17 +1557,25 @@ static void prepare_possible_alternates(const char *sm_name,
 	free(error_strategy);
 }
 
+static char *clone_submodule_sm_gitdir(const char *name)
+{
+	struct strbuf sb = STRBUF_INIT;
+	char *sm_gitdir;
+
+	submodule_name_to_gitdir(&sb, the_repository, name);
+	sm_gitdir = absolute_pathdup(sb.buf);
+	strbuf_release(&sb);
+
+	return sm_gitdir;
+}
+
 static int clone_submodule(struct module_clone_data *clone_data)
 {
-	char *p, *sm_gitdir;
+	char *p;
+	char *sm_gitdir = clone_submodule_sm_gitdir(clone_data->name);
 	char *sm_alternate = NULL, *error_strategy = NULL;
-	struct strbuf sb = STRBUF_INIT;
 	struct child_process cp = CHILD_PROCESS_INIT;
 
-	submodule_name_to_gitdir(&sb, the_repository, clone_data->name);
-	sm_gitdir = absolute_pathdup(sb.buf);
-	strbuf_reset(&sb);
-
 	if (!is_absolute_path(clone_data->path))
 		clone_data->path = xstrfmt("%s/%s", get_git_work_tree(),
 					   clone_data->path);
@@ -1655,7 +1663,6 @@ static int clone_submodule(struct module_clone_data *clone_data)
 	free(sm_alternate);
 	free(error_strategy);
 
-	strbuf_release(&sb);
 	free(sm_gitdir);
 	free(p);
 	return 0;