diff --git a/lib/util/git/index.ts b/lib/util/git/index.ts
index a172839a82632524c41bb9b74258b71ed96683c2..79686b1797456115181ed02f9709364aa233418e 100644
--- a/lib/util/git/index.ts
+++ b/lib/util/git/index.ts
@@ -74,6 +74,7 @@ function checkForPlatformFailure(err: Error): void {
     'Could not resolve host',
     ' is not a member of team',
     'early EOF',
+    'fatal: bad config', // .gitmodules problem
   ];
   for (const errorStr of externalHostFailureStrings) {
     if (err.message.includes(errorStr)) {