diff --git a/.travis.yml b/.travis.yml
index 22de1eeea1..74158f741b 100644
--- a/.travis.yml
+++ b/.travis.yml
@@ -496,7 +496,6 @@ jobs:
         - CONFIG="--disable-containers --target-list=${MAIN_SOFTMMU_TARGETS},s390x-linux-user"
         - UNRELIABLE=true
       script:
-        - ( cd ${SRC_DIR} ; git submodule update --init roms/SLOF )
         - BUILD_RC=0 && make -j${JOBS} || BUILD_RC=$?
         - |
           if [ "$BUILD_RC" -eq 0 ] ; then
diff --git a/configure b/configure
index bb7fd12612..927e4a3d06 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -6533,6 +6533,11 @@ if test "$cpu" = "s390x" ; then
   write_c_skeleton
   if compile_prog "-march=z900" ""; then
     roms="$roms s390-ccw"
+    # SLOF is required for building the s390-ccw firmware on s390x,
+    # since it is using the libnet code from SLOF for network booting.
+    if test -e "${source_path}/.git" ; then
+      git_submodules="${git_submodules} roms/SLOF"
+    fi
   fi
 fi