diff --git a/.gitmodules b/.gitmodules
index 9550905f..f6e764a2 100644
--- a/.gitmodules
+++ b/.gitmodules
@@ -1,8 +1,4 @@
 [submodule "external/abseil-cpp"]
 	path = external/abseil-cpp
 	url = https://github.com/abseil/abseil-cpp
-	branch = lts_2019_08_08
-[submodule "external/benchmark"]
-	path = external/benchmark
-	url = https://github.com/google/benchmark
-	branch = master
+	branch = lts_2019_08_08
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/external/benchmark b/external/benchmark
deleted file mode 160000
index 5f2a107b..00000000
--- a/external/benchmark
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Subproject commit 5f2a107b17f373f8b9e070b598d835ed257c65a8