diff --git a/.github/workflows/build-shit.yml b/.github/workflows/build-shit.yml
index 22fccbf09..be8bf6516 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build-shit.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build-shit.yml
@@ -13,9 +13,23 @@ jobs:
     steps:
       - name: ensure git cli is installed
         run: apt update && apt install sudo git -y
-      - uses: actions/checkout@v3
-      - name: print latest_commit
-        run: echo ${{ github.sha }}
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+        with:
+          submodules: 'recursive'
+          token: ${{ secrets.GH_RO_PAT }}
+      - name: check whether submodules exist
+        run: |
+          git config --global --add safe.directory $GITHUB_WORKSPACE
+
+          # debug output
+          echo gh=${{ github.sha }}
+          echo head=$(git rev-parse HEAD)
+          echo art=$(git -C art rev-parse HEAD)
+          echo assets=$(git -C assets rev-parse HEAD)
+
+          # checks if HEAD commit hash in submodules is diff from current repo, and therefore exists
+          test $(git rev-parse HEAD) != $(git -C art rev-parse HEAD)
+          test $(git rev-parse HEAD) != $(git -C assets rev-parse HEAD)
       - id: should_run
         continue-on-error: true
         name: check latest commit is less than a day
@@ -33,7 +47,7 @@ jobs:
           apt install sudo git curl unzip -y
           echo $GITHUB_WORKSPACE
           git config --global --add safe.directory $GITHUB_WORKSPACE
-      - uses: actions/checkout@v3
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
         with:
           submodules: 'recursive'
           token: ${{ secrets.GH_RO_PAT }}
@@ -56,7 +70,7 @@ jobs:
        contents: write
        actions: write
     steps:
-      - uses: actions/checkout@v3
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
         with:
           submodules: 'recursive'
           token: ${{ secrets.GH_RO_PAT }}
@@ -91,7 +105,7 @@ jobs:
 #       contents: write
 #       actions: write
 #    steps:
-#      - uses: actions/checkout@v3
+#      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
 #        with:
 #          submodules: 'recursive'
 #          token: ${{ secrets.GH_RO_PAT }}