diff --git a/site/en/guides/border-router/build-docker.md b/site/en/guides/border-router/build-docker.md
index ab53d41e..156bfeaa 100644
--- a/site/en/guides/border-router/build-docker.md
+++ b/site/en/guides/border-router/build-docker.md
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ build the included Dockerfile.
 
 1.  Clone the OTBR repository:
     ```
-    $ git clone --depth=1 https://github.com/openthread/ot-br-posix
+    $ git clone --recursive --depth=1 https://github.com/openthread/ot-br-posix
     $ cd ot-br-posix
     ```
 
diff --git a/site/en/guides/border-router/build-native.md b/site/en/guides/border-router/build-native.md
index 1b6a2d43..4d9dae6a 100644
--- a/site/en/guides/border-router/build-native.md
+++ b/site/en/guides/border-router/build-native.md
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ On Raspberry Pi:
 1.  Clone `ot-br-posix` from GitHub:
 
     ```
-    $ git clone --depth=1 https://github.com/openthread/ot-br-posix
+    $ git clone --recursive --depth=1 https://github.com/openthread/ot-br-posix
     ```
 
 ## Step 2: Build and install OTBR