diff --git a/src/externalldap.js b/src/externalldap.js
index aaf5d8f1e..c4370cf6e 100644
--- a/src/externalldap.js
+++ b/src/externalldap.js
@@ -327,7 +327,7 @@ function syncUsers(externalLdapConfig, progressCallback, callback) {
                     debug(`[adding user] username=${user.username} email=${user.email} displayName=${user.displayName}`);
 
                     users.create(user.username, null /* password */, user.email, user.displayName, { source: 'ldap' }, auditSource.EXTERNAL_LDAP_TASK, function (error) {
-                        if (error) console.error('Failed to create user', user, error);
+                        if (error) console.error('Failed to create user', user, error.message);
                         iteratorCallback();
                     });
                 } else if (result.source !== 'ldap') {
@@ -377,6 +377,9 @@ function syncGroups(externalLdapConfig, progressCallback, callback) {
             var groupName = ldapGroup[externalLdapConfig.groupnameField || 'cn'];
             if (!groupName) return iteratorCallback();
 
+            // groups are lowercase
+            groupName = groupName.toLowerCase();
+
             percent += step;
             progressCallback({ percent, message: `Syncing... ${groupName}` });