diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 3fa11e87..4724b102 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -21,22 +21,17 @@ If you are building on the command line, you will also need:
 
 1.  ant (e.g. run `sudo apt-get install ant` on a Debian-based distribution)
 
-## Fetching the Sources
-
-The Android port uses the `ucd-tools` submodule. You can fetch this by running:
-
-    $ git submodule init
-    $ git submodule update
-
 ## Building eSpeak
 
+1.  Generate the build files and get the required git submodules by running:
+
+        $ ./autogen.sh
 1.  Build the `libttsespeak.so` file by running:
 
         $ cd android
         $ ndk-build
 2.  Build the `android/res/raw/espeakdata.zip` file by running:
 
-        $ ./autogen.sh
         $ ./configure --prefix=/usr
         $ make android
 
diff --git a/autogen.sh b/autogen.sh
index f14504cc..843a6567 100755
--- a/autogen.sh
+++ b/autogen.sh
@@ -5,6 +5,10 @@ touch AUTHORS
 touch NEWS
 ln -sv README.md README
 
+if [ -d .git ] ; then
+	git submodule update --init --recursive || exit 1
+fi
+
 aclocal -I m4 || exit 1
 
 libtoolize || exit 1