diff --git a/.gitmodules b/.gitmodules
deleted file mode 100644
index e5ab7c726..000000000
--- a/.gitmodules
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,3 +0,0 @@
-[submodule "plugins/zsh-syntax-highlighting"]
-path = plugins/zsh-syntax-highlighting
-url = git://github.com/zsh-users/zsh-syntax-highlighting.git
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/README.textile b/README.textile
index 5b646f1fc..0a4545bac 100644
--- a/README.textile
+++ b/README.textile
@@ -22,9 +22,9 @@ h4. via `wget`
 h3. The manual way
 
 
-1. Clone the repository and all submodules.
+1. Clone the repository
 
-  @git clone --recursive git://github.com/robbyrussell/oh-my-zsh.git ~/.oh-my-zsh@
+  @git clone git://github.com/robbyrussell/oh-my-zsh.git ~/.oh-my-zsh@
 
 2. *OPTIONAL* Backup your existing ~/.zshrc file
 
diff --git a/tools/install.sh b/tools/install.sh
index abd49181a..a2bd5665a 100755
--- a/tools/install.sh
+++ b/tools/install.sh
@@ -10,12 +10,6 @@ hash git >/dev/null && /usr/bin/env git clone https://github.com/robbyrussell/oh
   exit
 }
 
-echo "\033[0;34mCloining submodule...\033[0m"
-current_path=`pwd`
-cd ~/.oh-my-zsh
-/usr/bin/env git submodule update --init
-cd "$current_path"
-
 echo "\033[0;34mLooking for an existing zsh config...\033[0m"
 if [ -f ~/.zshrc ] || [ -h ~/.zshrc ]
 then
diff --git a/tools/upgrade.sh b/tools/upgrade.sh
index 5bc792e39..a039d32f0 100644
--- a/tools/upgrade.sh
+++ b/tools/upgrade.sh
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ current_path=`pwd`
 printf '\033[0;34m%s\033[0m\n' "Upgrading Oh My Zsh"
 cd "$ZSH"
 
-if git pull origin master && git submodule foreach git pull
+if git pull origin master
 then
   printf '\033[0;32m%s\033[0m\n' '         __                                     __   '
   printf '\033[0;32m%s\033[0m\n' '  ____  / /_     ____ ___  __  __   ____  _____/ /_  '