diff --git a/config.template.yml b/config.template.yml
index bba35f99..e1ab5244 100644
--- a/config.template.yml
+++ b/config.template.yml
@@ -3,9 +3,11 @@
 logs_level: info
 
 # Configuration of LDAP
+# Example: for user john, the DN will be cn=john,ou=users,dc=example,dc=com
 ldap:
   url: ldap://ldap
-  base_dn: ou=users,dc=example,dc=com
+  user_search_base: ou=users,dc=example,dc=com
+  user_search_filter: cn
   user: cn=admin,dc=example,dc=com
   password: password
 
diff --git a/example/ldap/base.ldif b/example/ldap/base.ldif
index ba1f727d..1e46c0ef 100644
--- a/example/ldap/base.ldif
+++ b/example/ldap/base.ldif
@@ -29,3 +29,18 @@ uid: user
 uidnumber: 1000
 userpassword: {SHA}W6ph5Mm5Pz8GgiULbPgzG37mj9g=
 
+dn: uid=useruid,ou=users,dc=example,dc=com
+cn: useruid
+gidnumber: 500
+givenname: user
+homedirectory: /home/user1
+loginshell: /bin/sh
+objectclass: inetOrgPerson
+objectclass: posixAccount
+objectclass: top
+mail: useruid@example.com
+sn: User
+uid: useruid
+uidnumber: 1001
+userpassword: {SHA}W6ph5Mm5Pz8GgiULbPgzG37mj9g=
+
diff --git a/src/index.js b/src/index.js
index 2a0a00a1..0719b0ab 100755
--- a/src/index.js
+++ b/src/index.js
@@ -25,7 +25,8 @@ var yaml_config = YAML.load(config_path);
 var config = {
   port: process.env.PORT || 8080,
   ldap_url: yaml_config.ldap.url || 'ldap://127.0.0.1:389',
-  ldap_users_dn: yaml_config.ldap.base_dn,
+  ldap_user_search_base: yaml_config.ldap.user_search_base,
+  ldap_user_search_filter: yaml_config.ldap.user_search_filter,
   ldap_user: yaml_config.ldap.user,
   ldap_password: yaml_config.ldap.password,
   session_domain: yaml_config.session.domain,
diff --git a/src/lib/ldap.js b/src/lib/ldap.js
index 778ffe49..01c5289e 100644
--- a/src/lib/ldap.js
+++ b/src/lib/ldap.js
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 
 module.exports = {
-  validate: validateCredentials,
+  validate: validate_credentials,
   get_email: retrieve_email,
   update_password: update_password
 }
@@ -10,8 +10,12 @@ var Promise = require('bluebird');
 var exceptions = require('./exceptions');
 var Dovehash = require('dovehash');
 
-function validateCredentials(ldap_client, username, password, users_dn) {
-  var userDN = util.format("cn=%s,%s", username, users_dn);
+function validate_credentials(ldap_client, username, password, user_base, user_filter) {
+  // if not provided, default to cn
+  if(!user_filter) user_filter = 'cn';
+
+  var userDN = util.format("%s=%s,%s", user_filter, username, user_base);
+  console.log(userDN);
   var bind_promised = Promise.promisify(ldap_client.bind, { context: ldap_client });
   return bind_promised(userDN, password)
   .error(function(err) {
@@ -20,16 +24,19 @@ function validateCredentials(ldap_client, username, password, users_dn) {
   });
 }
 
-function retrieve_email(ldap_client, username, users_dn) {
-  var userDN = util.format("cn=%s,%s", username, users_dn);
+function retrieve_email(ldap_client, username, user_base, user_filter) {
+  // if not provided, default to cn
+  if(!user_filter) user_filter = 'cn';
+
+  var userDN = util.format("%s=%s,%s", user_filter, username, user_base);
+  console.log(userDN);
   var search_promised = Promise.promisify(ldap_client.search, { context: ldap_client });
   var query = {};
   query.sizeLimit = 1;
   query.attributes = ['mail'];
-  var base_dn = userDN;
 
   return new Promise(function(resolve, reject) {
-    search_promised(base_dn, query)
+    search_promised(userDN, query)
     .then(function(res) {
       var doc;
       res.on('searchEntry', function(entry) {
@@ -49,7 +56,12 @@ function retrieve_email(ldap_client, username, users_dn) {
 }
 
 function update_password(ldap_client, ldap, username, new_password, config) {
-  var userDN = util.format("cn=%s,%s", username, config.ldap_users_dn);
+  var user_filter = config.ldap_user_search_filter;
+  // if not provided, default to cn
+  if(!user_filter) user_filter = 'cn';
+
+  var userDN = util.format("%s=%s,%s", user_filter, username, 
+                           config.ldap_user_search_base);
   var encoded_password = Dovehash.encode('SSHA', new_password);
   var change = new ldap.Change({
     operation: 'replace',
diff --git a/src/lib/routes/first_factor.js b/src/lib/routes/first_factor.js
index fa5a3c1b..3b9c824f 100644
--- a/src/lib/routes/first_factor.js
+++ b/src/lib/routes/first_factor.js
@@ -23,18 +23,20 @@ function first_factor(req, res) {
 
   logger.debug('1st factor: Start bind operation against LDAP');
   logger.debug('1st factor: username=%s', username);
-  logger.debug('1st factor: base_dn=%s', config.ldap_users_dn);
+  logger.debug('1st factor: base_dn=%s', config.ldap_user_search_base);
+  logger.debug('1st factor: user_filter=%s', config.ldap_user_search_filter);
 
   regulator.regulate(username)
   .then(function() {
-    return ldap.validate(ldap_client, username, password, config.ldap_users_dn);
+    return ldap.validate(ldap_client, username, password, config.ldap_user_search_base, config.ldap_user_search_filter);
   })
   .then(function() {
     objectPath.set(req, 'session.auth_session.userid', username);
     objectPath.set(req, 'session.auth_session.first_factor', true);
     logger.info('1st factor: LDAP binding successful');
     logger.debug('1st factor: Retrieve email from LDAP');
-    return ldap.get_email(ldap_client, username, config.ldap_users_dn)
+    return ldap.get_email(ldap_client, username, config.ldap_user_search_base,
+                          config.ldap_user_search_filter)
   })
   .then(function(doc) {
     var email = objectPath.get(doc, 'mail');
diff --git a/src/lib/routes/reset_password.js b/src/lib/routes/reset_password.js
index 006dfa1f..8b46cf15 100644
--- a/src/lib/routes/reset_password.js
+++ b/src/lib/routes/reset_password.js
@@ -27,7 +27,8 @@ function pre_check(req) {
   var ldap_client = req.app.get('ldap client');
   var config = req.app.get('config');
 
-  return ldap.get_email(ldap_client, userid, config.ldap_users_dn)
+  return ldap.get_email(ldap_client, userid, config.ldap_user_search_base,
+                        config.ldap_user_search_filter)
   .then(function(doc) {
     var email = objectPath.get(doc, 'mail');
 
diff --git a/test/unitary/routes/test_first_factor.js b/test/unitary/routes/test_first_factor.js
index aabd085f..548b6dd7 100644
--- a/test/unitary/routes/test_first_factor.js
+++ b/test/unitary/routes/test_first_factor.js
@@ -18,7 +18,8 @@ describe('test the first factor validation route', function() {
       search: sinon.stub()
     }
     var config = {
-      ldap_users_dn: 'dc=example,dc=com'
+      ldap_user_search_base: 'ou=users,dc=example,dc=com',
+      ldap_user_search_filter: 'uid'
     }
 
     var search_doc = {
@@ -42,7 +43,7 @@ describe('test the first factor validation route', function() {
 
     var app_get = sinon.stub();
     app_get.withArgs('ldap client').returns(ldap_interface_mock);
-    app_get.withArgs('config').returns(ldap_interface_mock);
+    app_get.withArgs('config').returns(config);
     app_get.withArgs('logger').returns(winston);
     app_get.withArgs('authentication regulator').returns(regulator);
 
@@ -79,6 +80,21 @@ describe('test the first factor validation route', function() {
     });
   });
 
+  it('should bind user based on LDAP DN', function(done) {
+    ldap_interface_mock.bind = sinon.spy(function(dn) {
+      if(dn == 'uid=username,ou=users,dc=example,dc=com') done();
+    });
+    first_factor(req, res);
+  });
+
+  it('should retrieve email from LDAP', function(done) {
+    ldap_interface_mock.bind.yields(undefined);
+    ldap_interface_mock.search = sinon.spy(function(dn) {
+      if(dn == 'uid=username,ou=users,dc=example,dc=com') done();
+    });
+    first_factor(req, res);
+  });
+
   it('should return status code 401 when LDAP binding fails', function(done) {
     res.send = sinon.spy(function(data) {
       assert.equal(401, res.status.getCall(0).args[0]);
diff --git a/test/unitary/routes/test_reset_password.js b/test/unitary/routes/test_reset_password.js
index 8ceea448..14bff5a3 100644
--- a/test/unitary/routes/test_reset_password.js
+++ b/test/unitary/routes/test_reset_password.js
@@ -46,7 +46,8 @@ describe('test reset password', function() {
     req.app.get.withArgs('ldap client').returns(ldap_client);
 
     config = {};
-    config.ldap_users_dn = 'dc=example,dc=com';
+    config.ldap_user_search_base = 'dc=example,dc=com';
+    config.ldap_user_search_filter = 'cn';
     req.app.get.withArgs('config').returns(config);
 
     res = {};
@@ -75,6 +76,15 @@ describe('test reset password', function() {
       });
     });
 
+    it('should perform a search in ldap to find email address', function(done) {
+      config.ldap_user_search_filter = 'uid';
+      ldap_client.search = sinon.spy(function(dn) {
+        console.log(dn);
+        if(dn == 'uid=user,dc=example,dc=com') done();
+      });
+      reset_password.icheck_interface.pre_check_callback(req);
+    });
+
     it('should returns identity when ldap replies', function(done) {
       var doc = {};
       doc.object = {};
diff --git a/test/unitary/test_data_persistence.js b/test/unitary/test_data_persistence.js
index 32effd2c..a20b323a 100644
--- a/test/unitary/test_data_persistence.js
+++ b/test/unitary/test_data_persistence.js
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ describe('test data persistence', function() {
       port: PORT,
       totp_secret: 'totp_secret',
       ldap_url: 'ldap://127.0.0.1:389',
-      ldap_users_dn: 'ou=users,dc=example,dc=com',
+      ldap_user_search_base: 'ou=users,dc=example,dc=com',
       session_secret: 'session_secret',
       session_max_age: 50000,
       store_directory: tmpDir.name,
diff --git a/test/unitary/test_ldap.js b/test/unitary/test_ldap.js
index cbc348b4..9d301d23 100644
--- a/test/unitary/test_ldap.js
+++ b/test/unitary/test_ldap.js
@@ -25,9 +25,8 @@ describe('test ldap validation', function() {
     function test_validate() {
       var username = 'user';
       var password = 'password';
-      var ldap_url = 'http://ldap';
       var users_dn = 'dc=example,dc=com';
-      return ldap.validate(ldap_client, username, password, ldap_url, users_dn);
+      return ldap.validate(ldap_client, username, password, users_dn);
     }
 
     it('should bind the user if good credentials provided', function() {
@@ -35,6 +34,29 @@ describe('test ldap validation', function() {
       return test_validate();
     });
 
+    it('should bind the user with correct DN', function(done) {
+      var username = 'user';
+      var password = 'password';
+      var user_search_base = 'dc=example,dc=com';
+      var user_search_filter = 'uid';
+      ldap_client.bind = sinon.spy(function(dn) {
+        if(dn == 'uid=user,dc=example,dc=com') done(); 
+      });
+      ldap.validate(ldap_client, username, password, user_search_base, 
+                    user_search_filter);
+    });
+
+    it('should default to cn user search filter if no filter provided', function(done) {
+      var username = 'user';
+      var password = 'password';
+      var user_search_base = 'dc=example,dc=com';
+      ldap_client.bind = sinon.spy(function(dn) {
+        if(dn == 'cn=user,dc=example,dc=com') done(); 
+      });
+      ldap.validate(ldap_client, username, password, user_search_base, 
+                    undefined);
+    });
+
     // cover an issue with promisify context
     it('should promisify correctly', function() {
       function LdapClient() {
@@ -76,6 +98,14 @@ describe('test ldap validation', function() {
       })
     });
 
+    it('should use the user filter', function(done) {
+      ldap_client.search = sinon.spy(function(dn) {
+        if(dn == 'uid=username,ou=users,dc=example,dc=com') done();
+      });
+      ldap.get_email(ldap_client, 'username', 'ou=users,dc=example,dc=com', 
+                     'uid')
+    });
+
     it('should fail on error with search method', function(done) {
       var expected_doc = {};
       expected_doc.mail = [];
@@ -97,7 +127,7 @@ describe('test ldap validation', function() {
       change.modification.userPassword = 'new-password';
 
       var config = {};
-      config.ldap_users_dn = 'dc=example,dc=com';
+      config.ldap_user_search_base = 'dc=example,dc=com';
       config.ldap_user = 'admin';
 
       var userdn = 'cn=user,dc=example,dc=com';
@@ -135,6 +165,22 @@ describe('test ldap validation', function() {
         done();
       })
     });
+
+    it('should use the user filter', function(done) {
+      var ldapjs = {};
+      ldapjs.Change = sinon.spy();
+
+      var config = {};
+      config.ldap_user_search_base = 'ou=users,dc=example,dc=com';
+      config.ldap_user_search_filter = 'uid';
+      config.ldap_user = 'admin';
+
+      ldap_client.bind.yields(undefined);
+      ldap_client.modify = sinon.spy(function(dn) {
+        if(dn == 'uid=username,ou=users,dc=example,dc=com') done();
+      });
+      ldap.update_password(ldap_client, ldapjs, 'username', 'newpass', config)
+    });
   }
 });
 
diff --git a/test/unitary/test_server.js b/test/unitary/test_server.js
index 8f6632e4..f9252b84 100644
--- a/test/unitary/test_server.js
+++ b/test/unitary/test_server.js
@@ -33,7 +33,8 @@ describe('test the server', function() {
       port: PORT,
       totp_secret: 'totp_secret',
       ldap_url: 'ldap://127.0.0.1:389',
-      ldap_users_dn: 'ou=users,dc=example,dc=com',
+      ldap_user_search_base: 'ou=users,dc=example,dc=com',
+      ldap_user_search_filter: 'cn',
       ldap_user: 'cn=admin,dc=example,dc=com',
       ldap_password: 'password',
       session_secret: 'session_secret',
diff --git a/test/unitary/test_server_config.js b/test/unitary/test_server_config.js
index 1e3d74b9..4d6f9212 100644
--- a/test/unitary/test_server_config.js
+++ b/test/unitary/test_server_config.js
@@ -4,9 +4,11 @@ var server = require('../../src/lib/server');
 var assert = require('assert');
 
 describe('test server configuration', function() {
-  it('should set cookie scope to domain set in the config', function() {
-    var config = {};
-    config.session_domain = 'example.com';
+  var deps;
+  var config;
+
+  before(function() {
+    config = {};
     config.notifier = {
       gmail: {
         user: 'user@example.com',
@@ -22,13 +24,17 @@ describe('test server configuration', function() {
       return transporter;
     });
 
-    var deps = {};
+    deps = {};
     deps.nedb = require('nedb');
     deps.nodemailer = nodemailer;
     deps.session = sinon.spy(function() {
       return function(req, res, next) { next(); };
     });
+  });
 
+
+  it('should set cookie scope to domain set in the config', function() {
+    config.session_domain = 'example.com';
     server.run(config, undefined, deps);
 
     assert(deps.session.calledOnce);