diff --git a/update_submodule.py b/update_submodule.py
index 6c3f7602719941f3e237b2fac4be8e8ce38eb39b..c54b6ac6c2a3f474c379d2d8c077f9acbd2d1d3a 100755
--- a/update_submodule.py
+++ b/update_submodule.py
@@ -229,7 +229,11 @@ def update_submodule_and_include_ref(
         ref_name=revision_range, retry_transient_errors=True
     )
     if not commits:
-        sys.exit("ERROR: no commits found in range %s" % revision_range)
+        logging.info(
+            "No commits found in range %s, probably submodule already up-to-date.",
+            revision_range,
+        )
+        return None, None, None, None
     logging.debug("New commits: %s", commits)
 
     # Find out if top commit is part of a merge request