diff --git a/ros_buildfarm/templates/doc/doc_independent_docker_job.xml.em b/ros_buildfarm/templates/doc/doc_independent_docker_job.xml.em
index 413fa04eb..3da981149 100644
--- a/ros_buildfarm/templates/doc/doc_independent_docker_job.xml.em
+++ b/ros_buildfarm/templates/doc/doc_independent_docker_job.xml.em
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ else:
     'builder_shell',
     script='\n'.join([
         'echo "# BEGIN SECTION: Clone %s"' % doc_repository_name,
-        'python3 -u $WORKSPACE/ros_buildfarm/scripts/wrapper/git.py clone --depth 1 %s %s $WORKSPACE/repositories/%s' % (doc_repository_url, repo_branch_arg, doc_repository_name),
+        'python3 -u $WORKSPACE/ros_buildfarm/scripts/wrapper/git.py clone --recursive --depth 1 %s %s $WORKSPACE/repositories/%s' % (doc_repository_url, repo_branch_arg, doc_repository_name),
         'git -C $WORKSPACE/repositories/%s log -n 1' % doc_repository_name,
         'echo "# END SECTION"',
     ]),