diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index bfbb57abe1..f71238e065 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -246,7 +246,7 @@ go_build := $(go_path) go build $(go_flags) -ldflags '$(go_ldflags)' -o
 
 bin/%: cmd/% FORCE | go-check
 	@echo Updating git submodules...
-	$(E)git submodule update --init --recursive 
+	$(E)git submodule update --init --recursive --remote
 	@echo Building $@…
 	$(E)$(go_build) $@$(exe) ./$<
 	@echo Building bin/k8s-sat…
@@ -277,7 +277,7 @@ go_build_static := $(go_path) go build $(go_flags) -ldflags '$(go_ldflags) -link
 
 bin/static/%: cmd/% FORCE | go-check
 	@echo Updating git submodules...
-	$(E)git submodule update --init --recursive 
+	$(E)git submodule update --init --recursive --remote
 	@echo Building $@…
 	$(E)$(go_build_static) $@$(exe) ./$<
 	@echo Building bin/static/k8s-sat…
diff --git a/pkg/agent/storage/legacy.go b/pkg/agent/storage/legacy.go
index db0e9e6fd8..d0b698284b 100644
--- a/pkg/agent/storage/legacy.go
+++ b/pkg/agent/storage/legacy.go
@@ -34,8 +34,12 @@ func getLegacyDataFromK8SSecret(namespace, secretname, dataType string) ([]byte,
 
 	var timeByte, bundleByte []byte
 
+	if secret.Data == nil {
+		err = ErrNoData
+	}
+
 	if err != nil {
-		if strings.Contains(err.Error(), "not found") {
+		if errors.Is(err, ErrNotFound) || errors.Is(err, ErrNoData) {
 			return nil, nil, nil
 		}
 		return nil, nil, err
diff --git a/pkg/agent/storage/storage.go b/pkg/agent/storage/storage.go
index d93fdd6c62..e55c303fe6 100644
--- a/pkg/agent/storage/storage.go
+++ b/pkg/agent/storage/storage.go
@@ -9,7 +9,6 @@ import (
 	"io/fs"
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
-	"strings"
 	"sync"
 	"time"
 
@@ -21,6 +20,8 @@ import (
 
 var (
 	ErrNotCached = errors.New("not cached")
+	ErrNotFound  = errors.New("not found")
+	ErrNoData    = errors.New("no data found")
 )
 
 type Storage interface {
@@ -353,10 +354,14 @@ func loadDataFromK8S(namespace, secretname string) (storageData, time.Time, erro
 	var data storageData
 	secret, err := util.GetK8sSecrets(namespace, secretname)
 
+	if secret.Data == nil {
+		err = ErrNoData
+	}
+
 	var dataByte, timeByte []byte
 
 	if err != nil {
-		if strings.Contains(err.Error(), "not found") {
+		if errors.Is(err, ErrNotFound) || errors.Is(err, ErrNoData) {
 			return storageData{}, time.Time{}, nil
 		}
 		return storageData{}, time.Time{}, err
diff --git a/pkg/common/util/k8sClient.go b/pkg/common/util/k8sClient.go
index 648fb722bb..7a84ce8dec 100644
--- a/pkg/common/util/k8sClient.go
+++ b/pkg/common/util/k8sClient.go
@@ -106,6 +106,9 @@ func CreateK8sSecrets(namespace, secretname string, data map[string][]byte) erro
 	oldSec, err := GetK8sSecrets(namespace, secretname)
 	if err == nil {
 		log.WithField("secret", oldSec.Name).Info("Found k8s secret with same name. Trying to update existing secret")
+		if oldSec.Data == nil {
+			oldSec.Data = map[string][]byte{}
+		}
 		for k, value := range data {
 			oldSec.Data[k] = value
 		}