diff --git a/Tools/scripts/build_binaries.py b/Tools/scripts/build_binaries.py
index 7bfa85a458..5b31af7648 100755
--- a/Tools/scripts/build_binaries.py
+++ b/Tools/scripts/build_binaries.py
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ class build_binaries(object):
                           "--recursive",
                           "-f"])
 
-    def checkout(self, vehicle, ctag, cboard=None, cframe=None):
+    def checkout(self, vehicle, ctag, cboard=None, cframe=None, submodule_update=True):
         '''attempt to check out a git tree.  Various permutations are
 attempted based on ctag - for examplle, if the board is avr and ctag
 is bob we will attempt to checkout bob-AVR'''
@@ -131,7 +131,8 @@ is bob we will attempt to checkout bob-AVR'''
             try:
                 self.progress("Trying branch %s" % branch)
                 self.run_git(["checkout", "-f", branch])
-                self.run_git_update_submodules()
+                if submodule_update:
+                    self.run_git_update_submodules()
                 self.run_git(["log", "-1"])
                 return True
             except subprocess.CalledProcessError:
@@ -336,7 +337,7 @@ is bob we will attempt to checkout bob-AVR'''
                     framesuffix = ""
                 else:
                     framesuffix = "-%s" % frame
-                if not self.checkout(vehicle, tag, board, frame):
+                if not self.checkout(vehicle, tag, board, frame, submodule_update=False):
                     msg = ("Failed checkout of %s %s %s %s" %
                            (vehicle, board, tag, frame,))
                     self.progress(msg)
@@ -344,6 +345,7 @@ is bob we will attempt to checkout bob-AVR'''
                     continue
                 if self.skip_board_waf(board):
                     continue
+
                 self.progress("Building %s %s %s binaries %s" %
                               (vehicle, tag, board, frame))
                 ddir = os.path.join(self.binaries,
@@ -356,11 +358,17 @@ is bob we will attempt to checkout bob-AVR'''
                 if self.skip_frame(board, frame):
                     continue
 
+                # we do the submodule update after the skip_board_waf check to avoid doing it on
+                # builds we will not be running
+                self.run_git_update_submodules()
+
                 if os.path.exists(self.buildroot):
                     shutil.rmtree(self.buildroot)
 
                 self.remove_tmpdir()
 
+                t0 = time.time()
+
                 self.progress("Configuring for %s in %s" %
                               (board, self.buildroot))
                 try:
@@ -384,6 +392,10 @@ is bob we will attempt to checkout bob-AVR'''
                     self.error_strings.append(msg)
                     continue
 
+                t1 = time.time()
+                self.progress("Building %s %s %s %s took %u seconds" %
+                              (vehicle, tag, board, frame, t1-t0))
+
                 bare_path = os.path.join(self.buildroot,
                                          board,
                                          "bin",