--- a/deps/readies/mk/main
+++ b/deps/readies/mk/main
@@ -29,16 +29,12 @@ $(error Cannot find readies root)
 endif
 endif
 
-ifeq ($(wildcard $(READIES)/*),)
-___:=$(shell git submodule update --init --recursive &> /dev/null)
-endif
-
 MK:=$(READIES)/mk
 
 MK.pyver ?= 3
 MK.getpy=getpy$(MK.pyver)
 
-ifneq ($(shell { CHECK=1 $(READIES)/bin/$(MK.getpy); echo -n $$?; }),0)
+ifneq (0,0)
 ifneq ($(filter setup,$(MAKECMDGOALS)),)
 MK.nobindir:=1
 else