diff --git a/builtin/pull.c b/builtin/pull.c
index c35c6e82c0..843ff1976d 100644
--- a/builtin/pull.c
+++ b/builtin/pull.c
@@ -810,7 +810,7 @@ int cmd_pull(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 
 		if (!autostash)
 			require_clean_work_tree("pull with rebase",
-				"Please commit or stash them.", 0);
+				"Please commit or stash them.", 1, 0);
 
 		if (get_rebase_fork_point(rebase_fork_point, repo, *refspecs))
 			hashclr(rebase_fork_point);
diff --git a/wt-status.c b/wt-status.c
index 436d02791c..d0ddfb5eef 100644
--- a/wt-status.c
+++ b/wt-status.c
@@ -1762,13 +1762,14 @@ void wt_porcelain_print(struct wt_status *s)
 /**
  * Returns 1 if there are unstaged changes, 0 otherwise.
  */
-int has_unstaged_changes(void)
+int has_unstaged_changes(int ignore_submodules)
 {
 	struct rev_info rev_info;
 	int result;
 
 	init_revisions(&rev_info, NULL);
-	DIFF_OPT_SET(&rev_info.diffopt, IGNORE_SUBMODULES);
+	if (ignore_submodules)
+		DIFF_OPT_SET(&rev_info.diffopt, IGNORE_SUBMODULES);
 	DIFF_OPT_SET(&rev_info.diffopt, QUICK);
 	diff_setup_done(&rev_info.diffopt);
 	result = run_diff_files(&rev_info, 0);
@@ -1778,7 +1779,7 @@ int has_unstaged_changes(void)
 /**
  * Returns 1 if there are uncommitted changes, 0 otherwise.
  */
-int has_uncommitted_changes(void)
+int has_uncommitted_changes(int ignore_submodules)
 {
 	struct rev_info rev_info;
 	int result;
@@ -1787,7 +1788,8 @@ int has_uncommitted_changes(void)
 		return 0;
 
 	init_revisions(&rev_info, NULL);
-	DIFF_OPT_SET(&rev_info.diffopt, IGNORE_SUBMODULES);
+	if (ignore_submodules)
+		DIFF_OPT_SET(&rev_info.diffopt, IGNORE_SUBMODULES);
 	DIFF_OPT_SET(&rev_info.diffopt, QUICK);
 	add_head_to_pending(&rev_info);
 	diff_setup_done(&rev_info.diffopt);
@@ -1799,7 +1801,7 @@ int has_uncommitted_changes(void)
  * If the work tree has unstaged or uncommitted changes, dies with the
  * appropriate message.
  */
-int require_clean_work_tree(const char *action, const char *hint, int gently)
+int require_clean_work_tree(const char *action, const char *hint, int ignore_submodules, int gently)
 {
 	struct lock_file *lock_file = xcalloc(1, sizeof(*lock_file));
 	int err = 0;
@@ -1809,12 +1811,12 @@ int require_clean_work_tree(const char *action, const char *hint, int gently)
 	update_index_if_able(&the_index, lock_file);
 	rollback_lock_file(lock_file);
 
-	if (has_unstaged_changes()) {
+	if (has_unstaged_changes(ignore_submodules)) {
 		error(_("Cannot %s: You have unstaged changes."), action);
 		err = 1;
 	}
 
-	if (has_uncommitted_changes()) {
+	if (has_uncommitted_changes(ignore_submodules)) {
 		if (err)
 			error(_("Additionally, your index contains uncommitted changes."));
 		else
diff --git a/wt-status.h b/wt-status.h
index f8791d6425..3045b1dd12 100644
--- a/wt-status.h
+++ b/wt-status.h
@@ -116,8 +116,9 @@ __attribute__((format (printf, 3, 4)))
 void status_printf(struct wt_status *s, const char *color, const char *fmt, ...);
 
 /* The following functions expect that the caller took care of reading the index. */
-int has_unstaged_changes(void);
-int has_uncommitted_changes(void);
-int require_clean_work_tree(const char *action, const char *hint, int gently);
+int has_unstaged_changes(int ignore_submodules);
+int has_uncommitted_changes(int ignore_submodules);
+int require_clean_work_tree(const char *action, const char *hint,
+	int ignore_submodules, int gently);
 
 #endif /* STATUS_H */