diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index 381c3b5..5e9811d 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -359,7 +359,7 @@ func (server *Server) getAttribute(dn string, attr string) ([]string, error) {
 	}
 
 	if pair == nil {
-		return nil, nil
+		return []string{}, nil
 	}
 
 	return parseValue(pair.Value)
@@ -448,9 +448,6 @@ func (server *Server) handleBindInternal(state *State, r *message.BindRequest) (
 	if err != nil {
 		return ldap.LDAPResultOperationsError, err
 	}
-	if passwd == nil {
-		return ldap.LDAPResultNoSuchObject, fmt.Errorf("%s has no password", string(r.Name()))
-	}
 
 	for _, hash := range passwd {
 		valid := SSHAMatches(hash, []byte(r.AuthenticationSimple()))
diff --git a/write.go b/write.go
index 2c35309..57c642c 100644
--- a/write.go
+++ b/write.go
@@ -118,9 +118,6 @@ func (server *Server) handleAddInternal(state *State, r *message.AddRequest) (in
 				server.logger.Warnf("Could not add %s to memberOf of %s: %s", dn, member, err)
 				continue
 			}
-			if memberGroups == nil {
-				memberGroups = []string{}
-			}
 
 			alreadyMember := false
 			for _, mb := range memberGroups {
@@ -473,9 +470,6 @@ func (server *Server) handleModifyInternal(state *State, r *message.ModifyReques
 			server.logger.Warnf("Could not add %s to memberOf of %s: %s", dn, addMem, err)
 			continue
 		}
-		if memberOf == nil {
-			memberOf = []string{}
-		}
 
 		alreadyMember := false
 		for _, mb := range memberOf {
@@ -501,9 +495,6 @@ func (server *Server) handleModifyInternal(state *State, r *message.ModifyReques
 			server.logger.Warnf("Could not remove %s from memberOf of %s: %s", dn, delMem, err)
 			continue
 		}
-		if memberOf == nil {
-			memberOf = []string{}
-		}
 		newMemberOf := []string{}
 		for _, g := range memberOf {
 			if g != dn {