diff --git a/doc/getting_started.md b/doc/getting_started.md
index 980b2e9eb..a28896b44 100644
--- a/doc/getting_started.md
+++ b/doc/getting_started.md
@@ -3,9 +3,7 @@
 ## Getting the Source Code {#getting_started_source}
 
 ~~~{.sh}
-git clone https://github.com/spdk/spdk
-cd spdk
-git submodule update --init
+git clone https://github.com/spdk/spdk --recursive
 ~~~
 
 ## Installing Prerequisites {#getting_started_prerequisites}
diff --git a/doc/nvmf.md b/doc/nvmf.md
index 1a4346e0d..a3a7e01f0 100644
--- a/doc/nvmf.md
+++ b/doc/nvmf.md
@@ -130,11 +130,9 @@ After cloning SPDK repo and initialize submodules, FC LLD library is built which
 the fc transport.
 
 ~~~{.sh}
-git clone https://github.com/spdk/spdk spdk
+git clone https://github.com/spdk/spdk --recursive
 git clone https://github.com/ecdufcdrvr/bcmufctdrvr fc
-cd spdk
-git submodule update --init
-cd ../fc
+cd fc
 make DPDK_DIR=../spdk/dpdk/build SPDK_DIR=../spdk
 cd ../spdk
 ./configure --with-fc=../fc/build
diff --git a/doc/nvmf_multipath_howto.md b/doc/nvmf_multipath_howto.md
index 9aabb51c6..c382ab6ad 100644
--- a/doc/nvmf_multipath_howto.md
+++ b/doc/nvmf_multipath_howto.md
@@ -8,13 +8,12 @@ path load balancing.
 
 Clone the repo:
 ~~~{.sh}
-git clone https://github.com/spdk/spdk
+git clone https://github.com/spdk/spdk --recursive
 ~~~
 
 Configure and build SPDK:
 ~~~{.sh}
 cd spdk/
-git submodule update --init
 ./configure
 make -j16
 ~~~