diff --git a/.gitmodules b/.gitmodules
index 6688d9877..1f5f23d11 100644
--- a/.gitmodules
+++ b/.gitmodules
@@ -18,3 +18,15 @@
     path = modules/pvAccess
     url = https://github.com/epics-base/pvAccessCPP
     branch = master
+[submodule "modules/normativeTypes"]
+    path = modules/normativeTypes
+    url = https://github.com/epics-base/normativeTypesCPP
+    branch = master
+[submodule "modules/pvaClient"]
+    path = modules/pvaClient
+    url = https://github.com/epics-base/pvaClientCPP
+    branch = master
+[submodule "modules/pvDatabase"]
+    path = modules/pvDatabase
+    url = https://github.com/epics-base/pvDatabaseCPP
+    branch = master
diff --git a/modules/Makefile b/modules/Makefile
index fb4af2dfa..12c45108b 100644
--- a/modules/Makefile
+++ b/modules/Makefile
@@ -27,6 +27,15 @@ pvAccess_DEPEND_DIRS = pvData ca
 # FIXME: dependency needed for the pvAccessIOC library
 pvAccess_DEPEND_DIRS += database
 
+SUBMODULES += normativeTypes
+normativeTypes_DEPEND_DIRS = pvData
+
+SUBMODULES += pvaClient
+pvaClient_DEPEND_DIRS = pvAccess normativeTypes
+
+SUBMODULES += pvDatabase
+pvDatabase_DEPEND_DIRS = pvAccess
+
 # Add any checked-out submodules to DIRS
 DIRS += $(subst /,,$(dir $(wildcard $(addsuffix /Makefile, $(SUBMODULES)))))
 
diff --git a/modules/normativeTypes b/modules/normativeTypes
new file mode 160000
index 000000000..1b156c92c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/modules/normativeTypes
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Subproject commit 1b156c92cdb040833ea54c99330edab71a7272dd
diff --git a/modules/pvDatabase b/modules/pvDatabase
new file mode 160000
index 000000000..f131f0631
--- /dev/null
+++ b/modules/pvDatabase
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Subproject commit f131f0631c899195863e945d489be9cde944e6d5
diff --git a/modules/pvaClient b/modules/pvaClient
new file mode 160000
index 000000000..6f8090812
--- /dev/null
+++ b/modules/pvaClient
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Subproject commit 6f809081226fd0e2082c448a02c919b922c37615