diff --git a/.gitmodules b/.gitmodules
index 82974599f77fad51328d4c552ebd20964b230905..0e1dc5892f851870d7299e3b40cafe57c8f2a693 100644
--- a/.gitmodules
+++ b/.gitmodules
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
 	path = rosjava/src/rosjava_bootstrap
 	url = https://github.com/rosjava/rosjava_bootstrap
 [submodule "rosjava/src/rosjava_build_tools"]
+	branch = kinetic
 	path = rosjava/src/rosjava_build_tools
 	url = ../rosjava_build_tools.git
 [submodule "rosjava/src/genjava"]