diff --git a/.gitmodules b/.gitmodules
index 8e8f4fae1..dbcdbb9eb 100644
--- a/.gitmodules
+++ b/.gitmodules
@@ -5,3 +5,4 @@
 [submodule "_external/data"]
 	path = _external/data
 	url = https://github.com/w3c/wai-website-data.git
+	branch = main
\ No newline at end of file