diff --git a/backend/ldap.go b/backend/ldap.go
index 817cfdb8776bfeb5d8bee63603c881b14f2b8b1b..f4f5e4d6a529f320669aec3fc3a2160fd7cb2740 100644
--- a/backend/ldap.go
+++ b/backend/ldap.go
@@ -43,11 +43,16 @@ func (c *LDAPQueryConfig) Valid() error {
 		}
 		c.scope = s
 	}
+
+	// Since two different daemons use this code, with separate
+	// configs, and one of them does not need one of these
+	// attributes, it's more practical to set defaults rather than
+	// complain if values are unset.
 	if c.PublicKeyAttr == "" {
-		return errors.New("empty public_key_attr")
+		c.PublicKeyAttr = "userPublicKey"
 	}
 	if c.PrivateKeyAttr == "" {
-		return errors.New("empty public_key_attr")
+		c.PrivateKeyAttr = "userEncryptedKey"
 	}
 	return nil
 }