diff --git a/.github/workflows/regress.yml b/.github/workflows/regress.yml
index 742d918b6..24dfbfbd3 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/regress.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/regress.yml
@@ -10,6 +10,10 @@ jobs:
     steps:
     - name: Clone Github Repo Action
       uses: actions/checkout@v4
+    - name: Initialize binutils submodule
+      run: |
+        git submodule init ext/binutils-gdb/binutils  # initialize only this submodule
+        git submodule update ext/binutils-gdb/binutils  # update it
     - name: Setup apptainer
       uses: eWaterCycle/setup-apptainer@v2.0.0
     - name: Get container from cache
diff --git a/.gitmodules b/.gitmodules
index f46672857..9f8b8d6e2 100644
--- a/.gitmodules
+++ b/.gitmodules
@@ -9,5 +9,5 @@
 	url = https://github.com/riscv/riscv-isa-manual
 [submodule "ext/binutils-gdb/binutils"]
 	path = ext/binutils-gdb/binutils
-	url = git@github.com:bminor/binutils-gdb.git
+	url = https://github.com/bminor/binutils-gdb.git
 	branch = master