diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/pmix/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/pmix/package.py
index 0362e858d16..0c1252eb116 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/pmix/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/pmix/package.py
@@ -35,7 +35,8 @@ class Pmix(AutotoolsPackage):
     git = "https://github.com/openpmix/openpmix.git"
     maintainers("rhc54")
 
-    version("master", branch="master")
+    # Branches 4.2 & 5.0 will also need submodules
+    version("master", branch="master", submodules=True)
     version("4.1.2", sha256="670d3a02b39fb2126fe8084174cf03c484e027b5921b5c98a851108134e2597a")
     version("4.1.1", sha256="0527a15d616637b95975d238bbc100b244894518fbba822cd8f46589ca61ccec")
     version("4.1.0", sha256="145f05a6c621bfb3fc434776b615d7e6d53260cc9ba340a01f55b383e07c842e")