diff --git a/__test__/verify-submodules-true.sh b/__test__/verify-submodules-true.sh
index 43769fe..743e59b 100755
--- a/__test__/verify-submodules-true.sh
+++ b/__test__/verify-submodules-true.sh
@@ -17,10 +17,21 @@ fi
 
 echo "Testing persisted credential"
 pushd ./submodules-true/submodule-level-1
-git config --local --name-only --get-regexp http.+extraheader && git fetch
+
+# Check if credentials are configured
+git config --list | grep -q "http.*extraheader"
 if [ "$?" != "0" ]; then
-    echo "Failed to validate persisted credential"
+    echo "Failed to validate persisted credential - no http extraheader found"
     popd
     exit 1
 fi
+
+# Try to ls-remote to validate credentials work
+git ls-remote origin
+if [ "$?" != "0" ]; then
+    echo "Failed to validate persisted credential - git ls-remote failed"
+    popd
+    exit 1
+fi
+
 popd