void *buf;
                unsigned long size;
 
+               if (S_ISGITLINK(mode))
+                       die("cannot read object %s '%s': It is a submodule!",
+                           sha1_to_hex(sha), path);
+
                buf = read_sha1_file(sha, &type, &size);
                if (!buf)
                        die("cannot read object %s '%s'", sha1_to_hex(sha), path);
                mfi = merge_file(&o, &a, &b,
                                 branch1, branch2);
 
+               clean_merge = mfi.clean;
                if (mfi.clean)
                        update_file(1, mfi.sha, mfi.mode, path);
+               else if (S_ISGITLINK(mfi.mode))
+                       output(1, "CONFLICT (submodule): Merge conflict in %s "
+                              "- needs %s", path, sha1_to_hex(b.sha1));
                else {
-                       clean_merge = 0;
                        output(1, "CONFLICT (%s): Merge conflict in %s",
                                        reason, path);