diff --git a/git-submodule.sh b/git-submodule.sh
index 9ebbab798d2..c291eed59cc 100755
--- a/git-submodule.sh
+++ b/git-submodule.sh
@@ -836,11 +836,12 @@ cmd_sync()
 			;;
 		esac
 
+		say "Synchronizing submodule url for '$name'"
+		git config submodule."$name".url "$url"
+
 		if test -e "$path"/.git
 		then
 		(
-			say "Synchronizing submodule url for '$name'"
-			git config submodule."$name".url "$url"
 			clear_local_git_env
 			cd "$path"
 			remote=$(get_default_remote)
diff --git a/t/t7403-submodule-sync.sh b/t/t7403-submodule-sync.sh
index 02522f9627e..e5b19538b01 100755
--- a/t/t7403-submodule-sync.sh
+++ b/t/t7403-submodule-sync.sh
@@ -23,7 +23,9 @@ test_expect_success setup '
 	 git commit -m "submodule"
 	) &&
 	git clone super super-clone &&
-	(cd super-clone && git submodule update --init)
+	(cd super-clone && git submodule update --init) &&
+	git clone super empty-clone &&
+	(cd empty-clone && git submodule init)
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'change submodule' '
@@ -64,4 +66,12 @@ test_expect_success '"git submodule sync" should update submodule URLs' '
 	)
 '
 
+test_expect_success '"git submodule sync" should update submodule URLs if not yet cloned' '
+	(cd empty-clone &&
+	 git pull &&
+	 git submodule sync &&
+	 test -d "$(git config submodule.submodule.url)"
+	)
+'
+
 test_done