diff --git a/src/externalldap.js b/src/externalldap.js
index 9f374209b..78eb3ffb3 100644
--- a/src/externalldap.js
+++ b/src/externalldap.js
@@ -337,7 +337,7 @@ async function syncUsers(externalLdapConfig, progressCallback) {
             debug(`syncUsers: [adding user] username=${ldapUser.username} email=${ldapUser.email} displayName=${ldapUser.displayName}`);
 
             const [userAddError] = await safe(users.add(ldapUser.email, { username: ldapUser.username, password: null, displayName: ldapUser.displayName, source: 'ldap' }, AuditSource.EXTERNAL_LDAP_TASK));
-            if (userAddError) debug('syncUsers: Failed to create user', ldapUser, userAddError.message);
+            if (userAddError) debug('syncUsers: Failed to create user', ldapUser, userAddError);
         } else if (user.source !== 'ldap') {
             debug(`syncUsers: [mapping user] username=${ldapUser.username} email=${ldapUser.email} displayName=${ldapUser.displayName}`);
 
diff --git a/src/users.js b/src/users.js
index 41ac4df23..d9cfcea92 100644
--- a/src/users.js
+++ b/src/users.js
@@ -184,9 +184,10 @@ async function add(email, data, auditSource) {
     assert(data.username === null || typeof data.username === 'string');
     assert(data.password === null || typeof data.password === 'string');
     assert.strictEqual(typeof data.displayName, 'string');
-    assert.strictEqual(typeof data.fallbackEmail, 'string');
+    if ('fallbackEmail' in data) assert.strictEqual(typeof data.fallbackEmail, 'string');
 
-    let { username, password, displayName, fallbackEmail } = data;
+    let { username, password, displayName } = data;
+    let fallbackEmail = data.fallbackEmail || '';
     const source = data.source || '';        // empty is local user
     const role = data.role || exports.ROLE_USER;