diff --git a/addons/godot_xterm/native/build.sh b/addons/godot_xterm/native/build.sh
index 42959ad..507ac4e 100755
--- a/addons/godot_xterm/native/build.sh
+++ b/addons/godot_xterm/native/build.sh
@@ -16,12 +16,12 @@ fi
 
 # Update git submodules.
 LIBTSM_DIR=${NATIVE_DIR}/thirdparty/libtsm
-if [ ! -d "$LIBTSM_DIR" ]; then
+if [ -z "$(ls -A -- "$LIBTSM_DIR")" ]; then
 	cd ${NATIVE_DIR}
 	git submodule update --init --recursive -- $LIBTSM_DIR
 fi
 GODOT_CPP_DIR=${NATIVE_DIR}/thirdparty/godot-cpp
-if [ ! -d "${GODOT_CPP_DIR}" ]; then
+if [ -z "$(ls -A -- "$GODOT_CPP_DIR")" ]; then
 	cd ${NATIVE_DIR}
 	git submodule update --init --recursive -- $GODOT_CPP_DIR
 fi
diff --git a/misc/export_templates/build.sh b/misc/export_templates/build.sh
index e27b5cb..d96d724 100755
--- a/misc/export_templates/build.sh
+++ b/misc/export_templates/build.sh
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ EXPORT_TEMPLATES_DIR="$( cd "$(dirname "$0")" >/dev/null 2>&1 ; pwd -P )"
 
 # Update git submodules.
 GODOT_DIR=${EXPORT_TEMPLATES_DIR}/godot
-if [ ! -d "$GODOT_DIR" ]; then
+if [ -z "$(ls -A -- "$GODOT_DIR")" ]; then
 	cd ${EXPORT_TEMPLATES_DIR}
 	git submodule update --init --recursive -- $GODOT_DIR
 fi