diff --git a/builtin/rm.c b/builtin/rm.c
index f0d025a4e2..05bfe20a46 100644
--- a/builtin/rm.c
+++ b/builtin/rm.c
@@ -86,8 +86,7 @@ static void submodules_absorb_gitdir_if_needed(void)
 			continue;
 
 		if (!submodule_uses_gitfile(name))
-			absorb_git_dir_into_superproject(name,
-				ABSORB_GITDIR_RECURSE_SUBMODULES);
+			absorb_git_dir_into_superproject(name);
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/builtin/submodule--helper.c b/builtin/submodule--helper.c
index ee6f2d34cb..33f099dbc8 100644
--- a/builtin/submodule--helper.c
+++ b/builtin/submodule--helper.c
@@ -1379,8 +1379,7 @@ static void deinit_submodule(const char *path, const char *prefix,
 					  ".git file by using absorbgitdirs."),
 					displaypath);
 
-			absorb_git_dir_into_superproject(path,
-							 ABSORB_GITDIR_RECURSE_SUBMODULES);
+			absorb_git_dir_into_superproject(path);
 
 		}
 
@@ -2831,13 +2830,10 @@ static int absorb_git_dirs(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 	int i;
 	struct pathspec pathspec = { 0 };
 	struct module_list list = MODULE_LIST_INIT;
-	unsigned flags = ABSORB_GITDIR_RECURSE_SUBMODULES;
 	struct option embed_gitdir_options[] = {
 		OPT_STRING(0, "prefix", &prefix,
 			   N_("path"),
 			   N_("path into the working tree")),
-		OPT_BIT(0, "--recursive", &flags, N_("recurse into submodules"),
-			ABSORB_GITDIR_RECURSE_SUBMODULES),
 		OPT_END()
 	};
 	const char *const git_submodule_helper_usage[] = {
@@ -2853,7 +2849,7 @@ static int absorb_git_dirs(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 		goto cleanup;
 
 	for (i = 0; i < list.nr; i++)
-		absorb_git_dir_into_superproject(list.entries[i]->name, flags);
+		absorb_git_dir_into_superproject(list.entries[i]->name);
 
 	ret = 0;
 cleanup:
diff --git a/submodule.c b/submodule.c
index fe1e3f0390..8fa2ad457b 100644
--- a/submodule.c
+++ b/submodule.c
@@ -2139,8 +2139,7 @@ int submodule_move_head(const char *path,
 	if (!(flags & SUBMODULE_MOVE_HEAD_DRY_RUN)) {
 		if (old_head) {
 			if (!submodule_uses_gitfile(path))
-				absorb_git_dir_into_superproject(path,
-					ABSORB_GITDIR_RECURSE_SUBMODULES);
+				absorb_git_dir_into_superproject(path);
 		} else {
 			struct strbuf gitdir = STRBUF_INIT;
 			submodule_name_to_gitdir(&gitdir, the_repository,
@@ -2332,8 +2331,7 @@ static void absorb_git_dir_into_superproject_recurse(const char *path)
  * having its git directory within the working tree to the git dir nested
  * in its superprojects git dir under modules/.
  */
-void absorb_git_dir_into_superproject(const char *path,
-				      unsigned flags)
+void absorb_git_dir_into_superproject(const char *path)
 {
 	int err_code;
 	const char *sub_git_dir;
@@ -2382,12 +2380,7 @@ void absorb_git_dir_into_superproject(const char *path,
 	}
 	strbuf_release(&gitdir);
 
-	if (flags & ABSORB_GITDIR_RECURSE_SUBMODULES) {
-		if (flags & ~ABSORB_GITDIR_RECURSE_SUBMODULES)
-			BUG("we don't know how to pass the flags down?");
-
-		absorb_git_dir_into_superproject_recurse(path);
-	}
+	absorb_git_dir_into_superproject_recurse(path);
 }
 
 int get_superproject_working_tree(struct strbuf *buf)
diff --git a/submodule.h b/submodule.h
index 6a9fec6de1..b52a4ff1e7 100644
--- a/submodule.h
+++ b/submodule.h
@@ -164,9 +164,7 @@ void submodule_unset_core_worktree(const struct submodule *sub);
  */
 void prepare_submodule_repo_env(struct strvec *env);
 
-#define ABSORB_GITDIR_RECURSE_SUBMODULES (1<<0)
-void absorb_git_dir_into_superproject(const char *path,
-				      unsigned flags);
+void absorb_git_dir_into_superproject(const char *path);
 
 /*
  * Return the absolute path of the working tree of the superproject, which this