diff --git a/config/example-config.php b/config/example-config.php
index ace96dd7..2a11b701 100644
--- a/config/example-config.php
+++ b/config/example-config.php
@@ -696,11 +696,11 @@ $c->admin_email = 'calendar-admin@example.com';
 //     'networkTimeout'  => 10,  // timeout in seconds
 //     'baseDNUsers'  => 'dc=example,dc=net',  // where to look at valid user
         /* filter which must validate a user according to RFC4515, i.e.
-         * surrounded by brackets */
+         * surrounded by brackets. Default is (objectClass=*) */
 //     'filterUsers'  => 'objectClass=kolabInetOrgPerson',
        /* where to look for groups */
 //     'baseDNGroups' => 'ou=divisions,dc=example,dc=net',
-       /* filter with same rules as filterUsers */
+       /* filter with same rules as filterUsers, and the same default. */
 //     'filterGroups' => 'objectClass=groupOfUniqueNames',
        /* /!\ "username" should be set and "modified" must be set
         * used to create the user based on their ldap properties */
diff --git a/inc/drivers_ldap.php b/inc/drivers_ldap.php
index 68d1f9e7..51e023d5 100644
--- a/inc/drivers_ldap.php
+++ b/inc/drivers_ldap.php
@@ -113,21 +113,36 @@ class ldapDriver
         break;
       }
 
+      // This is useful to see what is happening at a low level. I also
+      // recommend tcpdump...
+      //ldap_set_option(NULL, LDAP_OPT_DEBUG_LEVEL, 7);
+
       //connect as root
       if (!ldap_bind($this->connect, (isset($config['bindDN']) ? $config['bindDN'] : null), (isset($config['passDN']) ? $config['passDN'] : null) ) ){
           $bindDN = isset($config['bindDN']) ? $config['bindDN'] : 'anonymous';
           $passDN = isset($config['passDN']) ? $config['passDN'] : 'anonymous';
+
           dbg_error_log( "LDAP", i18n('drivers_ldap : Failed to bind to host %1$s on port %2$s with bindDN of %3$s'), $host, $port, $bindDN );
           $c->messages[] = i18n( 'drivers_ldap : Unable to bind to LDAP - check your configuration for bindDN and passDN, and that your LDAP server is reachable');
           $this->valid=false;
           return ;
       }
       $this->valid = true;
-      //root to start search
-      $this->baseDNUsers  = is_string($config['baseDNUsers']) ? array($config['baseDNUsers']) : $config['baseDNUsers'];
-      $this->filterUsers  = (isset($config['filterUsers'])  ? $config['filterUsers']  : null);
-      $this->baseDNGroups = (isset($config['baseDNGroups']) ? (is_string($config['baseDNGroups']) ? array($config['baseDNGroups']) : $config['baseDNGroups']) : null);
-      $this->filterGroups = (isset($config['filterGroups']) ? $config['filterGroups'] : null);
+
+      // root to start search
+      $this->baseDNUsers  =
+          is_string($config['baseDNUsers']) ?
+          array($config['baseDNUsers']) : $config['baseDNUsers'];
+      $this->filterUsers  =
+          (isset($config['filterUsers'])  ?
+          $config['filterUsers'] : '(objectclass=*)');
+      $this->baseDNGroups =
+          (isset($config['baseDNGroups']) ?
+          (is_string($config['baseDNGroups']) ?
+          array($config['baseDNGroups']) : $config['baseDNGroups']) : null);
+      $this->filterGroups =
+          (isset($config['filterGroups']) ?
+           $config['filterGroups'] : '(objectclass=*)');
   }
 
   /**