diff --git a/thirdparty/CMakeLists.txt b/thirdparty/CMakeLists.txt
index 7eae7e55..85d1168d 100644
--- a/thirdparty/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/thirdparty/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -13,24 +13,6 @@ function (include_with_scope)
     include (${ARGV})
 endfunction ()
 
-set (SUBMODULES_MISSING FALSE)
-foreach (path IN ITEMS
-    brotli/LICENSE
-    gtest/googletest/LICENSE
-    libbacktrace/LICENSE
-    libpng/LICENSE
-    snappy/COPYING
-    zlib/README
-)
-    if (NOT EXISTS "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/${path}")
-        message (SEND_ERROR "error: ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/${path} does not exist")
-        set (SUBMODULES_MISSING TRUE)
-    endif ()
-endforeach ()
-if (SUBMODULES_MISSING)
-    message (FATAL_ERROR "Update Git submodules by running\ngit submodule update --init --depth 1 --recursive")
-endif ()
-
 if (ENABLE_STATIC_SNAPPY OR NOT Snappy_FOUND)
     message (STATUS "Using bundled Snappy")
     include_with_scope (snappy.cmake)