diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 1dda22470e38..96746a4d7c94 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -47,6 +47,9 @@ set(SOF_ROOT_BINARY_DIRECTORY "${PROJECT_BINARY_DIR}")
 # check git hooks
 include(scripts/cmake/git-hooks.cmake)
 
+# checkout submodules
+include(scripts/cmake/git-submodules.cmake)
+
 # most of other options are set on per-arch and per-target basis
 set(CMAKE_ASM_FLAGS -DASSEMBLY)
 
@@ -55,6 +58,7 @@ set(CMAKE_ASM_FLAGS -DASSEMBLY)
 add_library(sof_public_headers INTERFACE)
 
 target_include_directories(sof_public_headers INTERFACE ${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/src/include)
+target_include_directories(sof_public_headers INTERFACE ${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/rimage/src/include/sof)
 
 # interface library that is used only as container for sof binary options
 # other targets can use it to build with the same options
@@ -162,6 +166,8 @@ install(
 		${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/src/include/ipc
 		${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/src/include/kernel
 		${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/src/include/user
+		${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/rimage/src/include/sof/kernel
+		${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/rimage/src/include/sof/user
 	DESTINATION include/sof
 	PATTERN "*.h"
 )
diff --git a/scripts/cmake/git-submodules.cmake b/scripts/cmake/git-submodules.cmake
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..dc27797637e5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/cmake/git-submodules.cmake
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: BSD-3-Clause
+
+find_package(Git)
+if(GIT_FOUND AND EXISTS "${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/.git")
+	# Update submodules by default
+	option(GIT_SUBMODULE "Check submodules during build" ON)
+
+	if(GIT_SUBMODULE)
+		message(STATUS "Git submodule update")
+
+		execute_process(COMMAND ${GIT_EXECUTABLE} submodule update --init --recursive
+				WORKING_DIRECTORY ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}
+				RESULT_VARIABLE GIT_SUBMOD_RESULT)
+
+		if(NOT GIT_SUBMOD_RESULT EQUAL "0")
+			message(FATAL_ERROR "git submodule update --init failed with ${GIT_SUBMOD_RESULT}, please checkout submodules")
+		endif()
+	endif()
+endif()
+
+if(NOT EXISTS "${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/rimage/CMakeLists.txt")
+	message(FATAL_ERROR "The submodules were not downloaded! GIT_SUBMODULE was turned off or failed. Please update submodules and try again.")
+endif()