diff --git a/builtin/submodule--helper.c b/builtin/submodule--helper.c
index 3afaddb9a5..3a2a92da51 100644
--- a/builtin/submodule--helper.c
+++ b/builtin/submodule--helper.c
@@ -3107,7 +3107,7 @@ static void configure_added_submodule(struct add_data *add_data)
 	 * is_submodule_active(), since that function needs to find
 	 * out the value of "submodule.active" again anyway.
 	 */
-	if (!git_config_get_string("submodule.active", &val) && val) {
+	if (!git_config_get_string("submodule.active", &val)) {
 		/*
 		 * If the submodule being added isn't already covered by the
 		 * current configured pathspec, set the submodule's active flag