diff --git a/builtin/grep.c b/builtin/grep.c
index 51278b01fa2..8af5249a7bb 100644
--- a/builtin/grep.c
+++ b/builtin/grep.c
@@ -433,17 +433,14 @@ static int grep_submodule(struct grep_opt *opt,
 {
 	struct repository *subrepo;
 	struct repository *superproject = opt->repo;
-	const struct submodule *sub;
 	struct grep_opt subopt;
 	int hit = 0;
 
-	sub = submodule_from_path(superproject, null_oid(), path);
-
 	if (!is_submodule_active(superproject, path))
 		return 0;
 
 	subrepo = xmalloc(sizeof(*subrepo));
-	if (repo_submodule_init(subrepo, superproject, sub)) {
+	if (repo_submodule_init(subrepo, superproject, path, null_oid())) {
 		free(subrepo);
 		return 0;
 	}
diff --git a/builtin/ls-files.c b/builtin/ls-files.c
index e6d415e077a..a2000ed6bf2 100644
--- a/builtin/ls-files.c
+++ b/builtin/ls-files.c
@@ -209,10 +209,8 @@ static void show_submodule(struct repository *superproject,
 			   struct dir_struct *dir, const char *path)
 {
 	struct repository subrepo;
-	const struct submodule *sub = submodule_from_path(superproject,
-							  null_oid(), path);
 
-	if (repo_submodule_init(&subrepo, superproject, sub))
+	if (repo_submodule_init(&subrepo, superproject, path, null_oid()))
 		return;
 
 	if (repo_read_index(&subrepo) < 0)
diff --git a/builtin/submodule--helper.c b/builtin/submodule--helper.c
index 5336daf186d..88ce6be69cb 100644
--- a/builtin/submodule--helper.c
+++ b/builtin/submodule--helper.c
@@ -2766,7 +2766,6 @@ static int push_check(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 
 static int ensure_core_worktree(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 {
-	const struct submodule *sub;
 	const char *path;
 	const char *cw;
 	struct repository subrepo;
@@ -2776,11 +2775,7 @@ static int ensure_core_worktree(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 
 	path = argv[1];
 
-	sub = submodule_from_path(the_repository, null_oid(), path);
-	if (!sub)
-		BUG("We could get the submodule handle before?");
-
-	if (repo_submodule_init(&subrepo, the_repository, sub))
+	if (repo_submodule_init(&subrepo, the_repository, path, null_oid()))
 		die(_("could not get a repository handle for submodule '%s'"), path);
 
 	if (!repo_config_get_string_tmp(&subrepo, "core.worktree", &cw)) {
diff --git a/merge-ort.c b/merge-ort.c
index 0a76952e9b1..ab42c5d847d 100644
--- a/merge-ort.c
+++ b/merge-ort.c
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@
 #include "promisor-remote.h"
 #include "revision.h"
 #include "strmap.h"
+#include "submodule-config.h"
 #include "submodule.h"
 #include "tree.h"
 #include "unpack-trees.h"
@@ -1511,7 +1512,6 @@ static int find_first_merges(struct repository *repo,
 	xsnprintf(merged_revision, sizeof(merged_revision), "^%s",
 		  oid_to_hex(&a->object.oid));
 	repo_init_revisions(repo, &revs, NULL);
-	rev_opts.submodule = path;
 	/* FIXME: can't handle linked worktrees in submodules yet */
 	revs.single_worktree = path != NULL;
 	setup_revisions(ARRAY_SIZE(rev_args)-1, rev_args, &revs, &rev_opts);
@@ -1521,7 +1521,7 @@ static int find_first_merges(struct repository *repo,
 		die("revision walk setup failed");
 	while ((commit = get_revision(&revs)) != NULL) {
 		struct object *o = &(commit->object);
-		if (in_merge_bases(b, commit))
+		if (repo_in_merge_bases(repo, b, commit))
 			add_object_array(o, NULL, &merges);
 	}
 	reset_revision_walk();
@@ -1536,7 +1536,7 @@ static int find_first_merges(struct repository *repo,
 		contains_another = 0;
 		for (j = 0; j < merges.nr; j++) {
 			struct commit *m2 = (struct commit *) merges.objects[j].item;
-			if (i != j && in_merge_bases(m2, m1)) {
+			if (i != j && repo_in_merge_bases(repo, m2, m1)) {
 				contains_another = 1;
 				break;
 			}
@@ -1557,10 +1557,12 @@ static int merge_submodule(struct merge_options *opt,
 			   const struct object_id *b,
 			   struct object_id *result)
 {
+	struct repository subrepo;
+	struct strbuf sb = STRBUF_INIT;
+	int ret = 0;
 	struct commit *commit_o, *commit_a, *commit_b;
 	int parent_count;
 	struct object_array merges;
-	struct strbuf sb = STRBUF_INIT;
 
 	int i;
 	int search = !opt->priv->call_depth;
@@ -1576,6 +1578,10 @@ static int merge_submodule(struct merge_options *opt,
 	if (is_null_oid(b))
 		return 0;
 
+	/*
+	 * NEEDSWORK: Remove this when all submodule object accesses are
+	 * through explicitly specified repositores.
+	 */
 	if (add_submodule_odb(path)) {
 		path_msg(opt, path, 0,
 			 _("Failed to merge submodule %s (not checked out)"),
@@ -1583,39 +1589,48 @@ static int merge_submodule(struct merge_options *opt,
 		return 0;
 	}
 
-	if (!(commit_o = lookup_commit_reference(opt->repo, o)) ||
-	    !(commit_a = lookup_commit_reference(opt->repo, a)) ||
-	    !(commit_b = lookup_commit_reference(opt->repo, b))) {
+	if (repo_submodule_init(&subrepo, opt->repo, path, null_oid())) {
 		path_msg(opt, path, 0,
-			 _("Failed to merge submodule %s (commits not present)"),
-			 path);
+				_("Failed to merge submodule %s (not checked out)"),
+				path);
 		return 0;
 	}
 
+	if (!(commit_o = lookup_commit_reference(&subrepo, o)) ||
+	    !(commit_a = lookup_commit_reference(&subrepo, a)) ||
+	    !(commit_b = lookup_commit_reference(&subrepo, b))) {
+		path_msg(opt, path, 0,
+			 _("Failed to merge submodule %s (commits not present)"),
+			 path);
+		goto cleanup;
+	}
+
 	/* check whether both changes are forward */
-	if (!in_merge_bases(commit_o, commit_a) ||
-	    !in_merge_bases(commit_o, commit_b)) {
+	if (!repo_in_merge_bases(&subrepo, commit_o, commit_a) ||
+	    !repo_in_merge_bases(&subrepo, commit_o, commit_b)) {
 		path_msg(opt, path, 0,
 			 _("Failed to merge submodule %s "
 			   "(commits don't follow merge-base)"),
 			 path);
-		return 0;
+		goto cleanup;
 	}
 
 	/* Case #1: a is contained in b or vice versa */
-	if (in_merge_bases(commit_a, commit_b)) {
+	if (repo_in_merge_bases(&subrepo, commit_a, commit_b)) {
 		oidcpy(result, b);
 		path_msg(opt, path, 1,
 			 _("Note: Fast-forwarding submodule %s to %s"),
 			 path, oid_to_hex(b));
-		return 1;
+		ret = 1;
+		goto cleanup;
 	}
-	if (in_merge_bases(commit_b, commit_a)) {
+	if (repo_in_merge_bases(&subrepo, commit_b, commit_a)) {
 		oidcpy(result, a);
 		path_msg(opt, path, 1,
 			 _("Note: Fast-forwarding submodule %s to %s"),
 			 path, oid_to_hex(a));
-		return 1;
+		ret = 1;
+		goto cleanup;
 	}
 
 	/*
@@ -1627,10 +1642,10 @@ static int merge_submodule(struct merge_options *opt,
 
 	/* Skip the search if makes no sense to the calling context.  */
 	if (!search)
-		return 0;
+		goto cleanup;
 
 	/* find commit which merges them */
-	parent_count = find_first_merges(opt->repo, path, commit_a, commit_b,
+	parent_count = find_first_merges(&subrepo, path, commit_a, commit_b,
 					 &merges);
 	switch (parent_count) {
 	case 0:
@@ -1664,7 +1679,9 @@ static int merge_submodule(struct merge_options *opt,
 	}
 
 	object_array_clear(&merges);
-	return 0;
+cleanup:
+	repo_clear(&subrepo);
+	return ret;
 }
 
 static void initialize_attr_index(struct merge_options *opt)
diff --git a/merge-recursive.c b/merge-recursive.c
index e594d4c3fa1..5a2d8a60c0d 100644
--- a/merge-recursive.c
+++ b/merge-recursive.c
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@
 #include "repository.h"
 #include "revision.h"
 #include "string-list.h"
+#include "submodule-config.h"
 #include "submodule.h"
 #include "tag.h"
 #include "tree-walk.h"
@@ -1110,7 +1111,6 @@ static int find_first_merges(struct repository *repo,
 	xsnprintf(merged_revision, sizeof(merged_revision), "^%s",
 		  oid_to_hex(&a->object.oid));
 	repo_init_revisions(repo, &revs, NULL);
-	rev_opts.submodule = path;
 	/* FIXME: can't handle linked worktrees in submodules yet */
 	revs.single_worktree = path != NULL;
 	setup_revisions(ARRAY_SIZE(rev_args)-1, rev_args, &revs, &rev_opts);
@@ -1120,7 +1120,7 @@ static int find_first_merges(struct repository *repo,
 		die("revision walk setup failed");
 	while ((commit = get_revision(&revs)) != NULL) {
 		struct object *o = &(commit->object);
-		if (in_merge_bases(b, commit))
+		if (repo_in_merge_bases(repo, b, commit))
 			add_object_array(o, NULL, &merges);
 	}
 	reset_revision_walk();
@@ -1135,7 +1135,7 @@ static int find_first_merges(struct repository *repo,
 		contains_another = 0;
 		for (j = 0; j < merges.nr; j++) {
 			struct commit *m2 = (struct commit *) merges.objects[j].item;
-			if (i != j && in_merge_bases(m2, m1)) {
+			if (i != j && repo_in_merge_bases(repo, m2, m1)) {
 				contains_another = 1;
 				break;
 			}
@@ -1171,6 +1171,8 @@ static int merge_submodule(struct merge_options *opt,
 			   const struct object_id *base, const struct object_id *a,
 			   const struct object_id *b)
 {
+	struct repository subrepo;
+	int ret = 0;
 	struct commit *commit_base, *commit_a, *commit_b;
 	int parent_count;
 	struct object_array merges;
@@ -1194,27 +1196,36 @@ static int merge_submodule(struct merge_options *opt,
 	if (is_null_oid(b))
 		return 0;
 
+	/*
+	 * NEEDSWORK: Remove this when all submodule object accesses are
+	 * through explicitly specified repositores.
+	 */
 	if (add_submodule_odb(path)) {
 		output(opt, 1, _("Failed to merge submodule %s (not checked out)"), path);
 		return 0;
 	}
 
-	if (!(commit_base = lookup_commit_reference(opt->repo, base)) ||
-	    !(commit_a = lookup_commit_reference(opt->repo, a)) ||
-	    !(commit_b = lookup_commit_reference(opt->repo, b))) {
-		output(opt, 1, _("Failed to merge submodule %s (commits not present)"), path);
+	if (repo_submodule_init(&subrepo, opt->repo, path, null_oid())) {
+		output(opt, 1, _("Failed to merge submodule %s (not checked out)"), path);
 		return 0;
 	}
 
+	if (!(commit_base = lookup_commit_reference(&subrepo, base)) ||
+	    !(commit_a = lookup_commit_reference(&subrepo, a)) ||
+	    !(commit_b = lookup_commit_reference(&subrepo, b))) {
+		output(opt, 1, _("Failed to merge submodule %s (commits not present)"), path);
+		goto cleanup;
+	}
+
 	/* check whether both changes are forward */
-	if (!in_merge_bases(commit_base, commit_a) ||
-	    !in_merge_bases(commit_base, commit_b)) {
+	if (!repo_in_merge_bases(&subrepo, commit_base, commit_a) ||
+	    !repo_in_merge_bases(&subrepo, commit_base, commit_b)) {
 		output(opt, 1, _("Failed to merge submodule %s (commits don't follow merge-base)"), path);
-		return 0;
+		goto cleanup;
 	}
 
 	/* Case #1: a is contained in b or vice versa */
-	if (in_merge_bases(commit_a, commit_b)) {
+	if (repo_in_merge_bases(&subrepo, commit_a, commit_b)) {
 		oidcpy(result, b);
 		if (show(opt, 3)) {
 			output(opt, 3, _("Fast-forwarding submodule %s to the following commit:"), path);
@@ -1224,9 +1235,10 @@ static int merge_submodule(struct merge_options *opt,
 		else
 			; /* no output */
 
-		return 1;
+		ret = 1;
+		goto cleanup;
 	}
-	if (in_merge_bases(commit_b, commit_a)) {
+	if (repo_in_merge_bases(&subrepo, commit_b, commit_a)) {
 		oidcpy(result, a);
 		if (show(opt, 3)) {
 			output(opt, 3, _("Fast-forwarding submodule %s to the following commit:"), path);
@@ -1236,7 +1248,8 @@ static int merge_submodule(struct merge_options *opt,
 		else
 			; /* no output */
 
-		return 1;
+		ret = 1;
+		goto cleanup;
 	}
 
 	/*
@@ -1248,10 +1261,10 @@ static int merge_submodule(struct merge_options *opt,
 
 	/* Skip the search if makes no sense to the calling context.  */
 	if (!search)
-		return 0;
+		goto cleanup;
 
 	/* find commit which merges them */
-	parent_count = find_first_merges(opt->repo, &merges, path,
+	parent_count = find_first_merges(&subrepo, &merges, path,
 					 commit_a, commit_b);
 	switch (parent_count) {
 	case 0:
@@ -1278,7 +1291,9 @@ static int merge_submodule(struct merge_options *opt,
 	}
 
 	object_array_clear(&merges);
-	return 0;
+cleanup:
+	repo_clear(&subrepo);
+	return ret;
 }
 
 static int merge_mode_and_contents(struct merge_options *opt,
diff --git a/repository.c b/repository.c
index 710a3b4bf87..c5b90ba93ea 100644
--- a/repository.c
+++ b/repository.c
@@ -190,19 +190,15 @@ int repo_init(struct repository *repo,
 
 int repo_submodule_init(struct repository *subrepo,
 			struct repository *superproject,
-			const struct submodule *sub)
+			const char *path,
+			const struct object_id *treeish_name)
 {
 	struct strbuf gitdir = STRBUF_INIT;
 	struct strbuf worktree = STRBUF_INIT;
 	int ret = 0;
 
-	if (!sub) {
-		ret = -1;
-		goto out;
-	}
-
-	strbuf_repo_worktree_path(&gitdir, superproject, "%s/.git", sub->path);
-	strbuf_repo_worktree_path(&worktree, superproject, "%s", sub->path);
+	strbuf_repo_worktree_path(&gitdir, superproject, "%s/.git", path);
+	strbuf_repo_worktree_path(&worktree, superproject, "%s", path);
 
 	if (repo_init(subrepo, gitdir.buf, worktree.buf)) {
 		/*
@@ -212,6 +208,13 @@ int repo_submodule_init(struct repository *subrepo,
 		 * in the superproject's 'modules' directory.  In this case the
 		 * submodule would not have a worktree.
 		 */
+		const struct submodule *sub =
+			submodule_from_path(superproject, treeish_name, path);
+		if (!sub) {
+			ret = -1;
+			goto out;
+		}
+
 		strbuf_reset(&gitdir);
 		submodule_name_to_gitdir(&gitdir, superproject, sub->name);
 
@@ -224,7 +227,7 @@ int repo_submodule_init(struct repository *subrepo,
 	subrepo->submodule_prefix = xstrfmt("%s%s/",
 					    superproject->submodule_prefix ?
 					    superproject->submodule_prefix :
-					    "", sub->path);
+					    "", path);
 
 out:
 	strbuf_release(&gitdir);
diff --git a/repository.h b/repository.h
index 3740c93bc0f..c24e177c7e6 100644
--- a/repository.h
+++ b/repository.h
@@ -172,15 +172,18 @@ void initialize_the_repository(void);
 int repo_init(struct repository *r, const char *gitdir, const char *worktree);
 
 /*
- * Initialize the repository 'subrepo' as the submodule given by the
- * struct submodule 'sub' in parent repository 'superproject'.
- * Return 0 upon success and a non-zero value upon failure, which may happen
- * if the submodule is not found, or 'sub' is NULL.
+ * Initialize the repository 'subrepo' as the submodule at the given path. If
+ * the submodule's gitdir cannot be found at <path>/.git, this function calls
+ * submodule_from_path() to try to find it. treeish_name is only used if
+ * submodule_from_path() needs to be called; see its documentation for more
+ * information.
+ * Return 0 upon success and a non-zero value upon failure.
  */
-struct submodule;
+struct object_id;
 int repo_submodule_init(struct repository *subrepo,
 			struct repository *superproject,
-			const struct submodule *sub);
+			const char *path,
+			const struct object_id *treeish_name);
 void repo_clear(struct repository *repo);
 
 /*
diff --git a/revision.c b/revision.c
index 0dabb5a0bcf..7e7c41feddb 100644
--- a/revision.c
+++ b/revision.c
@@ -2563,8 +2563,7 @@ static int for_each_good_bisect_ref(struct ref_store *refs, each_ref_fn fn, void
 	return for_each_bisect_ref(refs, fn, cb_data, term_good);
 }
 
-static int handle_revision_pseudo_opt(const char *submodule,
-				      struct rev_info *revs,
+static int handle_revision_pseudo_opt(struct rev_info *revs,
 				      const char **argv, int *flags)
 {
 	const char *arg = argv[0];
@@ -2572,7 +2571,7 @@ static int handle_revision_pseudo_opt(const char *submodule,
 	struct ref_store *refs;
 	int argcount;
 
-	if (submodule) {
+	if (revs->repo != the_repository) {
 		/*
 		 * We need some something like get_submodule_worktrees()
 		 * before we can go through all worktrees of a submodule,
@@ -2581,9 +2580,8 @@ static int handle_revision_pseudo_opt(const char *submodule,
 		 */
 		if (!revs->single_worktree)
 			BUG("--single-worktree cannot be used together with submodule");
-		refs = get_submodule_ref_store(submodule);
-	} else
-		refs = get_main_ref_store(revs->repo);
+	}
+	refs = get_main_ref_store(revs->repo);
 
 	/*
 	 * NOTE!
@@ -2707,12 +2705,8 @@ int setup_revisions(int argc, const char **argv, struct rev_info *revs, struct s
 {
 	int i, flags, left, seen_dashdash, revarg_opt;
 	struct strvec prune_data = STRVEC_INIT;
-	const char *submodule = NULL;
 	int seen_end_of_options = 0;
 
-	if (opt)
-		submodule = opt->submodule;
-
 	/* First, search for "--" */
 	if (opt && opt->assume_dashdash) {
 		seen_dashdash = 1;
@@ -2741,7 +2735,7 @@ int setup_revisions(int argc, const char **argv, struct rev_info *revs, struct s
 		if (!seen_end_of_options && *arg == '-') {
 			int opts;
 
-			opts = handle_revision_pseudo_opt(submodule,
+			opts = handle_revision_pseudo_opt(
 						revs, argv + i,
 						&flags);
 			if (opts > 0) {
diff --git a/revision.h b/revision.h
index 0c65a760ee7..5578bb4720a 100644
--- a/revision.h
+++ b/revision.h
@@ -336,7 +336,6 @@ extern volatile show_early_output_fn_t show_early_output;
 struct setup_revision_opt {
 	const char *def;
 	void (*tweak)(struct rev_info *, struct setup_revision_opt *);
-	const char *submodule;	/* TODO: drop this and use rev_info->repo */
 	unsigned int	assume_dashdash:1,
 			allow_exclude_promisor_objects:1;
 	unsigned revarg_opt;
diff --git a/submodule.c b/submodule.c
index 78aed03d928..62beb8fd5f3 100644
--- a/submodule.c
+++ b/submodule.c
@@ -525,9 +525,6 @@ static void prepare_submodule_repo_env_in_gitdir(struct strvec *out)
 /*
  * Initialize a repository struct for a submodule based on the provided 'path'.
  *
- * Unlike repo_submodule_init, this tolerates submodules not present
- * in .gitmodules. This function exists only to preserve historical behavior,
- *
  * Returns the repository struct on success,
  * NULL when the submodule is not present.
  */
@@ -1421,24 +1418,13 @@ static void fetch_task_release(struct fetch_task *p)
 }
 
 static struct repository *get_submodule_repo_for(struct repository *r,
-						 const struct submodule *sub)
+						 const char *path)
 {
 	struct repository *ret = xmalloc(sizeof(*ret));
 
-	if (repo_submodule_init(ret, r, sub)) {
-		/*
-		 * No entry in .gitmodules? Technically not a submodule,
-		 * but historically we supported repositories that happen to be
-		 * in-place where a gitlink is. Keep supporting them.
-		 */
-		struct strbuf gitdir = STRBUF_INIT;
-		strbuf_repo_worktree_path(&gitdir, r, "%s/.git", sub->path);
-		if (repo_init(ret, gitdir.buf, NULL)) {
-			strbuf_release(&gitdir);
-			free(ret);
-			return NULL;
-		}
-		strbuf_release(&gitdir);
+	if (repo_submodule_init(ret, r, path, null_oid())) {
+		free(ret);
+		return NULL;
 	}
 
 	return ret;
@@ -1480,7 +1466,7 @@ static int get_next_submodule(struct child_process *cp,
 			continue;
 		}
 
-		task->repo = get_submodule_repo_for(spf->r, task->sub);
+		task->repo = get_submodule_repo_for(spf->r, task->sub->path);
 		if (task->repo) {
 			struct strbuf submodule_prefix = STRBUF_INIT;
 			child_process_init(cp);
diff --git a/t/helper/test-submodule-nested-repo-config.c b/t/helper/test-submodule-nested-repo-config.c
index e3f11ff5a78..dc1c14bde37 100644
--- a/t/helper/test-submodule-nested-repo-config.c
+++ b/t/helper/test-submodule-nested-repo-config.c
@@ -11,15 +11,13 @@ static void die_usage(const char **argv, const char *msg)
 int cmd__submodule_nested_repo_config(int argc, const char **argv)
 {
 	struct repository subrepo;
-	const struct submodule *sub;
 
 	if (argc < 3)
 		die_usage(argv, "Wrong number of arguments.");
 
 	setup_git_directory();
 
-	sub = submodule_from_path(the_repository, null_oid(), argv[1]);
-	if (repo_submodule_init(&subrepo, the_repository, sub)) {
+	if (repo_submodule_init(&subrepo, the_repository, argv[1], null_oid())) {
 		die_usage(argv, "Submodule not found.");
 	}