diff --git a/.github/workflows/build_conda.yml b/.github/workflows/build_conda.yml
index 81bc646..0c58a91 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build_conda.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build_conda.yml
@@ -1,9 +1,8 @@
 name: build_conda
 on:
-  [push]
-#  pull_request:
-#    branches:
-#      - FOOmainBAR
+  pull_request:
+    branches:
+      - main
 
 jobs:
   build:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/create_test_conda_env.yml b/.github/workflows/create_test_conda_env.yml
index 7785e5c..8a28475 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/create_test_conda_env.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/create_test_conda_env.yml
@@ -7,6 +7,8 @@ jobs:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+	    with:
+		  submodules: 'recursive'
       - name: Set up Python
         uses: actions/setup-python@v5
         with:
@@ -26,9 +28,6 @@ jobs:
           # add conda env's executables to github's PATH equiv.
           echo $CONDA/envs/fms_yaml_tools/bin >> $GITHUB_PATH
 
-          # get fms_yaml_tools/schema/gfdl_msd_schemas/FMS for unittest
-          git submodule update --init --recursive --remote
-          
           # use *conda environment's pip* to install fms_yaml_tools
           # called w/ full path to conda's python for explicitness
           # called as a module (-m pip) for explicitness
diff --git a/.github/workflows/publish_conda.yml b/.github/workflows/publish_conda.yml
index 2d4859a..a955dd6 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/publish_conda.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/publish_conda.yml
@@ -11,6 +11,8 @@ jobs:
 	steps:
 	  - name: Checkout Files
 		uses: actions/checkout@v4
+		with:
+		  submodules: 'recursive'
 	  - name: Run Conda to Build and Publish
 		run: |
 		  conda config --append channels conda-forge
@@ -18,5 +20,4 @@ jobs:
 		  conda install conda-build anaconda-client conda-verify
 		  export ANACONDA_API_TOKEN=${{ secrets.ANACONDA_TOKEN }}
 		  conda config --set anaconda_upload yes
-		  git submodule update --init --recursive --remote
 		  conda build .
diff --git a/.github/workflows/python_tests.yaml b/.github/workflows/python_tests.yaml
index 3a64dd5..3ee8b4c 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/python_tests.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/python_tests.yaml
@@ -11,7 +11,9 @@ jobs:
         python-version: ["3.7", "3.8", "3.9", "3.10"]
 
     steps:
-      - uses: actions/checkout@v3
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+	    with:
+		  submodules: 'recursive'
       - name: Set up Python ${{ matrix.python-version }}
         uses: actions/setup-python@v4
         with: