diff --git a/src/externalldap.js b/src/externalldap.js
index 2bc02e77b..791e5e940 100644
--- a/src/externalldap.js
+++ b/src/externalldap.js
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ function testConfig(config, callback) {
     assert.strictEqual(typeof config, 'object');
     assert.strictEqual(typeof callback, 'function');
 
-    if (!config.enabled) return callback();
+    if (config.provider === 'noop') return callback();
 
     if (!config.url) return callback(new BoxError(BoxError.BAD_FIELD, 'url must not be empty'));
     if (!config.baseDn) return callback(new BoxError(BoxError.BAD_FIELD, 'basedn must not be empty'));
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ function verifyPassword(user, password, callback) {
 
     settings.getExternalLdapConfig(function (error, externalLdapConfig) {
         if (error) return callback(error);
-        if (!externalLdapConfig.enabled) return callback(new BoxError(BoxError.BAD_STATE, 'not enabled'));
+        if (externalLdapConfig.provider === 'noop') return callback(new BoxError(BoxError.BAD_STATE, 'not enabled'));
 
         getClient(externalLdapConfig, function (error, client) {
             if (error) return callback(error);
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ function startSyncer(callback) {
 
     settings.getExternalLdapConfig(function (error, externalLdapConfig) {
         if (error) return callback(error);
-        if (!externalLdapConfig.enabled) return callback(new BoxError(BoxError.BAD_STATE, 'not enabled'));
+        if (externalLdapConfig.provider === 'noop') return callback(new BoxError(BoxError.BAD_STATE, 'not enabled'));
 
         tasks.add(tasks.TASK_SYNC_EXTERNAL_LDAP, [], function (error, taskId) {
             if (error) return callback(error);
@@ -125,7 +125,7 @@ function sync(progressCallback, callback) {
 
     settings.getExternalLdapConfig(function (error, externalLdapConfig) {
         if (error) return callback(error);
-        if (!externalLdapConfig.enabled) return callback(new BoxError(BoxError.BAD_STATE, 'not enabled'));
+        if (externalLdapConfig.provider === 'noop') return callback(new BoxError(BoxError.BAD_STATE, 'not enabled'));
 
         getClient(externalLdapConfig, function (error, client) {
             if (error) return callback(error);
@@ -157,15 +157,15 @@ function sync(progressCallback, callback) {
                     debug(`Found ${ldapUsers.length} users`);
 
                     // we ignore all errors here and just log them for now
-                    async.eachSeries(ldapUsers, function (user, callback) {
+                    async.eachSeries(ldapUsers, function (user, iteratorCallback) {
 
                         // ignore the bindDn user if any
-                        if (user.dn === externalLdapConfig.bindDn) return callback();
+                        if (user.dn === externalLdapConfig.bindDn) return iteratorCallback();
 
                         users.getByUsername(user.uid, function (error, result) {
                             if (error && error.reason !== BoxError.NOT_FOUND) {
                                 console.error(error);
-                                return callback();
+                                return iteratorCallback();
                             }
 
                             if (error) {
@@ -173,22 +173,22 @@ function sync(progressCallback, callback) {
 
                                 users.create(user.uid, null, user.mail, user.cn, { source: 'ldap' }, auditsource.EXTERNAL_LDAP_TASK, function (error) {
                                     if (error) console.error('Failed to create user', user, error);
-                                    callback();
+                                    iteratorCallback();
                                 });
                             } else if (result.source !== 'ldap') {
                                 debug('[conflicting user]', user.uid, user.mail, user.cn);
 
-                                callback();
+                                iteratorCallback();
                             } else if (result.email !== user.mail || result.displayName !== user.cn) {
                                 debug('[updating user]   ', user.uid, user.mail, user.cn);
 
                                 users.update(result.id, { email: user.mail, fallbackEmail: user.mail, displayName: user.cn }, auditsource.EXTERNAL_LDAP_TASK, function (error) {
                                     if (error) console.error('Failed to update user', user, error);
-                                    callback();
+                                    iteratorCallback();
                                 });
                             } else {
                                 // user known and up-to-date
-                                callback();
+                                iteratorCallback();
                             }
                         });
                     }, function () {
diff --git a/src/routes/settings.js b/src/routes/settings.js
index 9cc3d3bb1..4474b438a 100644
--- a/src/routes/settings.js
+++ b/src/routes/settings.js
@@ -198,7 +198,8 @@ function getExternalLdapConfig(req, res, next) {
 function setExternalLdapConfig(req, res, next) {
     assert.strictEqual(typeof req.body, 'object');
 
-    if (typeof req.body.enabled !== 'boolean') return next(new HttpError(400, 'enabled must be a boolean'));
+    if (!req.body.provider || typeof req.body.provider !== 'string') return next(new HttpError(400, 'provider must be a string'));
+    if (typeof req.body.provider !== 'string' || req.body.provider === '') return next(new HttpError(400, 'provider must be non-empty string'));
     if (typeof req.body.url !== 'string' || req.body.url === '') return next(new HttpError(400, 'url must be a non empty string'));
     if (typeof req.body.baseDn !== 'string' || req.body.baseDn === '') return next(new HttpError(400, 'baseDn must be a non empty string'));
     if (typeof req.body.filter !== 'string' || req.body.filter === '') return next(new HttpError(400, 'filter must be a non empty string'));
diff --git a/src/settings.js b/src/settings.js
index 031a85641..95cd2f36c 100644
--- a/src/settings.js
+++ b/src/settings.js
@@ -129,7 +129,9 @@ let gDefaults = (function () {
         intervalSecs: 24 * 60 * 60 // ~1 day
     };
     result[exports.PLATFORM_CONFIG_KEY] = {};
-    result[exports.EXTERNAL_LDAP_KEY] = {};
+    result[exports.EXTERNAL_LDAP_KEY] = {
+        provider: 'noop'
+    };
     result[exports.REGISTRY_CONFIG_KEY] = {};
     result[exports.ADMIN_DOMAIN_KEY] = '';
     result[exports.ADMIN_FQDN_KEY] = '';