diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index 1e2444294ec41ebf9d744716fd71c6991dc2f3ca..bac1e17ab443186ba6d8e34de688a7fa071b0da3 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -1,9 +1,6 @@
 # Gitlab CI Script for astrocyte/rnaseq
 # Brandi L. Cantarel - 2017
 
-variables:
-  GIT_SUBMODULE_STRATEGY: recursive
-
 before_script:
   - module load nextflow/0.31.0
   - git submodule sync --recursive