diff --git a/test/distrib/cpp/run_distrib_test_cmake.bat b/test/distrib/cpp/run_distrib_test_cmake.bat
index 041803663ea..48d510100e2 100644
--- a/test/distrib/cpp/run_distrib_test_cmake.bat
+++ b/test/distrib/cpp/run_distrib_test_cmake.bat
@@ -50,6 +50,10 @@ cmake -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX=%INSTALL_DIR% ..\..
 cmake --build . --config Release --target install || goto :error
 popd
 
+@rem Just before installing gRPC, wipe out contents of all the submodules to simulate
+@rem a standalone build from an archive
+git submodule deinit --all --force
+
 @rem Install gRPC
 mkdir cmake\build
 pushd cmake\build
diff --git a/test/distrib/cpp/run_distrib_test_cmake.sh b/test/distrib/cpp/run_distrib_test_cmake.sh
index c1bd4c4c227..457b65ffcb3 100755
--- a/test/distrib/cpp/run_distrib_test_cmake.sh
+++ b/test/distrib/cpp/run_distrib_test_cmake.sh
@@ -24,19 +24,22 @@ apt-get update
 apt-get install -t jessie-backports -y libssl-dev
 
 # Install c-ares
-mkdir -p "third_party/cares/cares/cmake/build" && pushd "$_"
+mkdir -p "third_party/cares/cares/cmake/build"
+pushd "third_party/cares/cares/cmake/build"
 cmake -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release ../..
 make -j4 install
 popd
 
 # Install protobuf
-mkdir -p "third_party/protobuf/cmake/build" && pushd "$_"
+mkdir -p "third_party/protobuf/cmake/build"
+pushd "third_party/protobuf/cmake/build"
 cmake -Dprotobuf_BUILD_TESTS=OFF -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release ..
 make -j4 install
 popd
 
 # Install zlib
-mkdir -p "third_party/zlib/cmake/build" && pushd "$_"
+mkdir -p "third_party/zlib/cmake/build"
+pushd "third_party/zlib/cmake/build"
 cmake -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release ../..
 make -j4 install
 popd
@@ -47,7 +50,8 @@ popd
 git submodule foreach 'cd $toplevel; rm -rf $name'
 
 # Install gRPC
-mkdir -p "cmake/build" && pushd "$_"
+mkdir -p "cmake/build"
+pushd "cmake/build"
 cmake \
   -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release \
   -DgRPC_INSTALL=ON \
@@ -56,12 +60,13 @@ cmake \
   -DgRPC_PROTOBUF_PROVIDER=package \
   -DgRPC_SSL_PROVIDER=package \
   -DgRPC_ZLIB_PROVIDER=package \
-../..
+  ../..
 make -j4 install
 popd
 
 # Build helloworld example using cmake
-mkdir -p "examples/cpp/helloworld/cmake/build" && pushd "$_"
+mkdir -p "examples/cpp/helloworld/cmake/build"
+pushd "examples/cpp/helloworld/cmake/build"
 cmake ../..
 make
 popd