diff --git a/build/scripts/build-submodules b/build/scripts/build-submodules
index e7dc1d7c47..a42c885296 100755
--- a/build/scripts/build-submodules
+++ b/build/scripts/build-submodules
@@ -1,8 +1,12 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 set -o errexit
 
-git submodule update --init --jobs 10
-git submodule status
+pmm_source="sources/pmm/src/github.com/percona/pmm"
+if [ -d "$pmm_source" ] && [ -z $(ls -A "$pmm_source") ]; then
+    git submodule update --init --jobs 10
+    git submodule status
+fi
+unset pmm_source
 
 if [ -s ci.yml ]; then
     if [ -f /home/ec2-user/venv/bin/activate ]; then
diff --git a/build/scripts/vars b/build/scripts/vars
index bf567ce109..e7d14cec90 100644
--- a/build/scripts/vars
+++ b/build/scripts/vars
@@ -42,10 +42,10 @@ unset new_pmm_version
 unset new_pmm_release
 echo -e "\n\n\n>>> full_pmm_version=${full_pmm_version} pmm_version=${pmm_version} pmm_release=${pmm_release}\n\n\n"
 
-rpmbuild_docker_image=${RPMBUILD_DOCKER_IMAGE:-public.ecr.aws/e7j3v3n0/rpmbuild:2}
+rpmbuild_docker_image=${RPMBUILD_DOCKER_IMAGE:-public.ecr.aws/e7j3v3n0/rpmbuild:ol9}
 rpms_dir=${root_dir}/tmp/pmm-server/RPMS
 rpmbuild_dir=${root_dir}/sources/pmm/src/github.com/percona/pmm/build/packages/rpm/server
-rpmbuild_dist=${RPMBUILD_DIST:-"el7"}
+rpmbuild_dist=${RPMBUILD_DIST:-"el9"}
 source_dir=${root_dir}/tmp/source/pmm2-client-${pmm_version}
 binary_dir=${root_dir}/tmp/binary/pmm2-client-${pmm_version}
 client_properties=${root_dir}/results/pmm-client.properties