diff --git a/.github/workflows/build.yml b/.github/workflows/build.yml
index 1dddaefddd..3d93ffdc4f 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build.yml
@@ -17,6 +17,8 @@ jobs:
     name: Test Java ${{ matrix.Java }}, ${{ matrix.os }}
     steps:
     - uses: actions/checkout@v4.2.2
+      with:
+          submodules: 'true'
 
     - name: Set up JDK
       uses: actions/setup-java@v4.5.0
diff --git a/.gitmodules b/.gitmodules
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..a2b11e1581
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.gitmodules
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+[submodule "bitcoind"]
+	path = bitcoind
+	url = https://github.com/bisq-network/bitcoind.git
diff --git a/bitcoind b/bitcoind
new file mode 160000
index 0000000000..5571e273d3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bitcoind
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Subproject commit 5571e273d30ba44afc374525aab24687f36427d5
diff --git a/settings.gradle b/settings.gradle
index 8220109914..68b0cbfbc4 100644
--- a/settings.gradle
+++ b/settings.gradle
@@ -36,5 +36,6 @@ include 'statsnode'
 include 'apitest'
 include 'platform'
 include 'code-coverage-report'
+include 'bitcoind'
 
 rootProject.name = 'bisq'