diff --git a/submodule.c b/submodule.c
index 24e8182f59..c18ab9b397 100644
--- a/submodule.c
+++ b/submodule.c
@@ -367,7 +367,7 @@ static int submodule_needs_pushing(const char *path, const unsigned char sha1[20
 
 		argv[1] = sha1_to_hex(sha1);
 		cp.argv = argv;
-		cp.env = local_repo_env;
+		prepare_submodule_repo_env(&cp.env_array);
 		cp.git_cmd = 1;
 		cp.no_stdin = 1;
 		cp.out = -1;
@@ -454,7 +454,7 @@ static int push_submodule(const char *path)
 		const char *argv[] = {"push", NULL};
 
 		cp.argv = argv;
-		cp.env = local_repo_env;
+		prepare_submodule_repo_env(&cp.env_array);
 		cp.git_cmd = 1;
 		cp.no_stdin = 1;
 		cp.dir = path;
@@ -500,7 +500,7 @@ static int is_submodule_commit_present(const char *path, unsigned char sha1[20])
 
 		argv[3] = sha1_to_hex(sha1);
 		cp.argv = argv;
-		cp.env = local_repo_env;
+		prepare_submodule_repo_env(&cp.env_array);
 		cp.git_cmd = 1;
 		cp.no_stdin = 1;
 		cp.dir = path;
@@ -683,7 +683,7 @@ static int get_next_submodule(struct child_process *cp,
 		if (is_directory(git_dir)) {
 			child_process_init(cp);
 			cp->dir = strbuf_detach(&submodule_path, NULL);
-			cp->env = local_repo_env;
+			prepare_submodule_repo_env(&cp->env_array);
 			cp->git_cmd = 1;
 			if (!spf->quiet)
 				strbuf_addf(err, "Fetching submodule %s%s\n",
@@ -796,7 +796,7 @@ unsigned is_submodule_modified(const char *path, int ignore_untracked)
 		argv[2] = "-uno";
 
 	cp.argv = argv;
-	cp.env = local_repo_env;
+	prepare_submodule_repo_env(&cp.env_array);
 	cp.git_cmd = 1;
 	cp.no_stdin = 1;
 	cp.out = -1;
@@ -857,7 +857,7 @@ int submodule_uses_gitfile(const char *path)
 
 	/* Now test that all nested submodules use a gitfile too */
 	cp.argv = argv;
-	cp.env = local_repo_env;
+	prepare_submodule_repo_env(&cp.env_array);
 	cp.git_cmd = 1;
 	cp.no_stdin = 1;
 	cp.no_stderr = 1;
@@ -890,7 +890,7 @@ int ok_to_remove_submodule(const char *path)
 		return 0;
 
 	cp.argv = argv;
-	cp.env = local_repo_env;
+	prepare_submodule_repo_env(&cp.env_array);
 	cp.git_cmd = 1;
 	cp.no_stdin = 1;
 	cp.out = -1;
diff --git a/t/t5550-http-fetch-dumb.sh b/t/t5550-http-fetch-dumb.sh
index 13ac788fde..3484b6f0f3 100755
--- a/t/t5550-http-fetch-dumb.sh
+++ b/t/t5550-http-fetch-dumb.sh
@@ -112,6 +112,17 @@ test_expect_success 'cmdline credential config passes to submodule via clone' '
 	expect_askpass pass user@host
 '
 
+test_expect_success 'cmdline credential config passes submodule via fetch' '
+	set_askpass wrong pass@host &&
+	test_must_fail git -C super-clone fetch --recurse-submodules &&
+
+	set_askpass wrong pass@host &&
+	git -C super-clone \
+	    -c "credential.$HTTPD_URL.username=user@host" \
+	    fetch --recurse-submodules &&
+	expect_askpass pass user@host
+'
+
 test_expect_success 'cmdline credential config passes submodule update' '
 	# advance the submodule HEAD so that a fetch is required
 	git commit --allow-empty -m foo &&