diff --git a/git/objects/submodule/base.py b/git/objects/submodule/base.py
index a6b4caed4..dc4ee3c69 100644
--- a/git/objects/submodule/base.py
+++ b/git/objects/submodule/base.py
@@ -358,7 +358,9 @@ def add(cls, repo, name, path, url=None, branch=None, no_checkout=False):
         if sm.exists():
             # reretrieve submodule from tree
             try:
-                return repo.head.commit.tree[path]
+                sm = repo.head.commit.tree[path]
+                sm._name = name
+                return sm
             except KeyError:
                 # could only be in index
                 index = repo.index