diff --git a/.github/actions/build/action.yaml b/.github/actions/build/action.yaml
index 32898785..fd031a1d 100644
--- a/.github/actions/build/action.yaml
+++ b/.github/actions/build/action.yaml
@@ -6,8 +6,9 @@ runs:
       with:
         fetch-depth: 0
 
-    - run: git submodule update --init --recursive go.mk
+    - run: make go.mk
       shell: bash
+
     - uses: ./go.mk/.github/actions/setup
 
     - uses: ./go.mk/.github/actions/pre-check
diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 86f2134d..a61d00a0 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 .git
+/go.mk
 dist
 release
 exo
diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index a0babd90..b8f306fc 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,5 +1,10 @@
 # Changelog
 
+## Unreleased
+
+### Improvements
+- go.mk: use as a plain repo instead of a submodule #575 
+
 ## 1.76.0
 
 ### Bug Fixes
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 03d7ef57..4f90ee53 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -1,6 +1,39 @@
+GO_MK_REF := v1.0.0
+
+# make go.mk a dependency for all targets
+.EXTRA_PREREQS = go.mk
+
+ifndef MAKE_RESTARTS
+# This section will be processed the first time that make reads this file.
+
+# This causes make to re-read the Makefile and all included
+# makefiles after go.mk has been cloned.
+Makefile:
+	@touch Makefile
+endif
+
+# All files included from go.mk need an associated target or make will error
+# before go.mk can be cloned.
+go.mk/init.mk:
 include go.mk/init.mk
+go.mk/public.mk:
 include go.mk/public.mk
 
+.PHONY: go.mk
+.ONESHELL:
+go.mk:
+	@if [ ! -d "go.mk" ]; then
+		git clone https://github.com/exoscale/go.mk.git
+	fi
+	@cd go.mk
+	@if ! git show-ref --quiet --verify "refs/heads/${GO_MK_REF}"; then
+		git fetch
+	fi
+	@if ! git show-ref --quiet --verify "refs/tags/${GO_MK_REF}"; then
+		git fetch --tags
+	fi
+	git checkout --quiet ${GO_MK_REF}
+
 PROJECT_URL = https://github.com/exoscale/cli
 GO_BIN_OUTPUT_NAME := exo
 OAS_FILE := public-api.json
diff --git a/go.mk b/go.mk
deleted file mode 160000
index 314a757b..00000000
--- a/go.mk
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Subproject commit 314a757ba0e1668ebfe7252269d4b58560854c69