diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index e867eee..37fb4ec 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -228,7 +228,15 @@ Most of the functions that we have re-exported expected `*chaincfg.Params` as an
 1. Install Docker
 2. Install Docker Compose
 3. Run Docker
-4. Run `./test.sh`
+4. Clone with submodules, or initialize them in an existing checkout:
+
+```sh
+git submodule update --init --recursive
+```
+
+5. Run `./test.sh`
+
+The test script also initializes submodules when it is run inside a Git checkout.
 
 Example output:
 
diff --git a/test.sh b/test.sh
index e0b03f1..ba35b5b 100755
--- a/test.sh
+++ b/test.sh
@@ -1,7 +1,14 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+set -euo pipefail
+
+if git rev-parse --is-inside-work-tree >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+    git submodule update --init --recursive
+fi
+
 source ./infra/.env
 docker-compose -f ./infra/docker-compose.yaml up --build -d
+trap 'docker-compose -f ./infra/docker-compose.yaml down' EXIT
 echo "Waiting for multichain to boot..."
 sleep 30
 go test -v ./...
-docker-compose -f ./infra/docker-compose.yaml down
-echo "Done!"
\ No newline at end of file
+echo "Done!"