diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index ccd6f6e0..7895b2fa 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -52,10 +52,10 @@ Tracks the commits in a [git](http://git-scm.com/) repository.
   the `branch`. Patterns are [glob(7)](http://man7.org/linux/man-pages/man7/glob.7.html)
   compatible (as in, bash compatible).
 
-* `submodules`: *Optional.* List of credentials for HTTP(s) auth when pulling/pushing private git submodules which are not stored in the same git server as the container repository.
+* `submodule_credentials`: *Optional.* List of credentials for HTTP(s) auth when pulling/pushing private git submodules which are not stored in the same git server as the container repository.
     Example:
     ```
-    submodules:
+    submodule_credentials:
     - host: github.com
       username: git-user
       password: git-password
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ resources:
   source:
     uri: git@github.com:concourse/git-resource.git
     branch: master
-    submodules:
+    submodule_credentials:
     - host: some.other.git.server
       username: user
       password: verysecurepassword
diff --git a/assets/common.sh b/assets/common.sh
index eac2282e..0d6a1df4 100644
--- a/assets/common.sh
+++ b/assets/common.sh
@@ -163,14 +163,14 @@ git_metadata() {
 configure_submodule_credentials() {
   local username
   local password
-  if [[ "$(jq -r '.source.submodules // ""' < "$1")" == "" ]]; then
+  if [[ "$(jq -r '.source.submodule_credentials // ""' < "$1")" == "" ]]; then
     return
   fi
 
-  for k in $(jq -r '.source.submodules | keys | .[]' < "$1"); do
-    host=$(jq -r --argjson k "$k" '.source.submodules[$k].host // ""' < "$1")
-    username=$(jq -r --argjson k "$k" '.source.submodules[$k].username // ""' < "$1")
-    password=$(jq -r --argjson k "$k" '.source.submodules[$k].password // ""' < "$1")
+  for k in $(jq -r '.source.submodule_credentials | keys | .[]' < "$1"); do
+    host=$(jq -r --argjson k "$k" '.source.submodule_credentials[$k].host // ""' < "$1")
+    username=$(jq -r --argjson k "$k" '.source.submodule_credentials[$k].username // ""' < "$1")
+    password=$(jq -r --argjson k "$k" '.source.submodule_credentials[$k].password // ""' < "$1")
     if [ "$username" != "" -a "$password" != "" -a "$host" != "" ]; then
       echo "machine $host login $username password $password" >> "${HOME}/.netrc"
     fi
diff --git a/test/helpers.sh b/test/helpers.sh
index fe05e6d9..ff238f1f 100644
--- a/test/helpers.sh
+++ b/test/helpers.sh
@@ -299,7 +299,7 @@ check_uri_with_submodule_credentials() {
       uri: $(echo $1 | jq -R .),
       username: $(echo $2 | jq -R .),
       password: $(echo $3 | jq -R .),
-      submodules: [
+      submodule_credentials: [
         {
           host: $(echo $4 | jq -R .),
           username: $(echo $5 | jq -R .),