diff --git a/plugins/scm-auth-ldap-plugin/src/main/java/sonia/scm/auth/ldap/LDAPAuthenticationHandler.java b/plugins/scm-auth-ldap-plugin/src/main/java/sonia/scm/auth/ldap/LDAPAuthenticationHandler.java
index a182826af6..d5d55e60c4 100644
--- a/plugins/scm-auth-ldap-plugin/src/main/java/sonia/scm/auth/ldap/LDAPAuthenticationHandler.java
+++ b/plugins/scm-auth-ldap-plugin/src/main/java/sonia/scm/auth/ldap/LDAPAuthenticationHandler.java
@@ -136,42 +136,17 @@ public class LDAPAuthenticationHandler implements AuthenticationHandler
   public AuthenticationResult authenticate(HttpServletRequest request,
           HttpServletResponse response, String username, String password)
   {
-    AssertUtil.assertIsNotEmpty(username);
-    AssertUtil.assertIsNotEmpty(password);
-
     AuthenticationResult result = AuthenticationResult.NOT_FOUND;
-    DirContext bindContext = null;
 
-    try
+    if (config.isEnabled())
     {
-      bindContext = createBindContext();
-
-      if (bindContext != null)
-      {
-        SearchResult searchResult = getUserSearchResult(bindContext, username);
-
-        if (searchResult != null)
-        {
-          result = AuthenticationResult.FAILED;
-
-          String userDN = searchResult.getNameInNamespace();
-
-          if (authenticateUser(userDN, password))
-          {
-            Attributes attributes = searchResult.getAttributes();
-            User user = createUser(attributes);
-            Set<String> groups = new HashSet<String>();
-
-            fetchGroups(bindContext, groups, userDN);
-            getGroups(attributes, groups);
-            result = new AuthenticationResult(user, groups);
-          }    // password wrong ?
-        }      // user not found
-      }        // no bind context available
+      AssertUtil.assertIsNotEmpty(username);
+      AssertUtil.assertIsNotEmpty(password);
+      result = authenticate(username, password);
     }
-    finally
+    else if (logger.isWarnEnabled())
     {
-      LdapUtil.close(bindContext);
+      logger.warn("ldap plugin is disabled");
     }
 
     return result;
@@ -275,6 +250,55 @@ public class LDAPAuthenticationHandler implements AuthenticationHandler
     }
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Method description
+   *
+   *
+   * @param username
+   * @param password
+   *
+   * @return
+   */
+  private AuthenticationResult authenticate(String username, String password)
+  {
+    AuthenticationResult result = AuthenticationResult.NOT_FOUND;
+    DirContext bindContext = null;
+
+    try
+    {
+      bindContext = createBindContext();
+
+      if (bindContext != null)
+      {
+        SearchResult searchResult = getUserSearchResult(bindContext, username);
+
+        if (searchResult != null)
+        {
+          result = AuthenticationResult.FAILED;
+
+          String userDN = searchResult.getNameInNamespace();
+
+          if (authenticateUser(userDN, password))
+          {
+            Attributes attributes = searchResult.getAttributes();
+            User user = createUser(attributes);
+            Set<String> groups = new HashSet<String>();
+
+            fetchGroups(bindContext, groups, userDN);
+            getGroups(attributes, groups);
+            result = new AuthenticationResult(user, groups);
+          }    // password wrong ?
+        }      // user not found
+      }        // no bind context available
+    }
+    finally
+    {
+      LdapUtil.close(bindContext);
+    }
+
+    return result;
+  }
+
   /**
    * Method description
    *
diff --git a/plugins/scm-auth-ldap-plugin/src/main/java/sonia/scm/auth/ldap/LDAPConfig.java b/plugins/scm-auth-ldap-plugin/src/main/java/sonia/scm/auth/ldap/LDAPConfig.java
index 45dd07ea8f..da5b0a7e61 100644
--- a/plugins/scm-auth-ldap-plugin/src/main/java/sonia/scm/auth/ldap/LDAPConfig.java
+++ b/plugins/scm-auth-ldap-plugin/src/main/java/sonia/scm/auth/ldap/LDAPConfig.java
@@ -63,6 +63,17 @@ public class LDAPConfig
     return attributeNameFullname;
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Method description
+   *
+   *
+   * @return
+   */
+  public String getAttributeNameGroup()
+  {
+    return attributeNameGroup;
+  }
+
   /**
    * Method description
    *
@@ -85,10 +96,6 @@ public class LDAPConfig
     return attributeNameMail;
   }
 
-  public String getAttributeNameGroup() {
-    return attributeNameGroup;
-  }
-
   /**
    * Method description
    *
@@ -177,29 +184,29 @@ public class LDAPConfig
     return unitPeople;
   }
 
-  //~--- methods --------------------------------------------------------------
+  /**
+   * Method description
+   *
+   *
+   * @return
+   */
+  public boolean isEnabled()
+  {
+    return enabled;
+  }
+
+  //~--- set methods ----------------------------------------------------------
 
   /**
    * Method description
    *
    *
-   * @param rawString
    *
-   * @return
+   * @param enabled
    */
-  private Set<String> split(String rawString)
+  public void setEnabled(boolean enabled)
   {
-    Set<String> tokens = new HashSet<String>();
-
-    for (String token : rawString.split(","))
-    {
-      if (token.trim().length() > 0)
-      {
-        tokens.add(token.trim());
-      }
-    }
-
-    return tokens;
+    this.enabled = enabled;
   }
 
   //~--- fields ---------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -208,6 +215,10 @@ public class LDAPConfig
   @XmlElement(name = "attribute-name-fullname")
   private String attributeNameFullname = "cn";
 
+  /** Field description */
+  @XmlElement(name = "attribute-name-group")
+  private String attributeNameGroup = "group";
+
   /** Field description */
   @XmlElement(name = "attribute-name-id")
   private String attributeNameId = "uid";
@@ -215,9 +226,6 @@ public class LDAPConfig
   /** Field description */
   @XmlElement(name = "attribute-name-mail")
   private String attributeNameMail = "mail";
-  
-  @XmlElement(name = "attribute-name-group")
-  private String attributeNameGroup = "group";
 
   /** Field description */
   @XmlElement(name = "base-dn")
@@ -250,4 +258,8 @@ public class LDAPConfig
   /** Field description */
   @XmlElement(name = "unit-people")
   private String unitPeople = "ou=people";
+
+  /** Field description */
+  @XmlElement(name = "enabled")
+  private boolean enabled = false;
 }
diff --git a/plugins/scm-auth-ldap-plugin/src/main/resources/sonia/scm/auth/ldap/sonia.ldap.js b/plugins/scm-auth-ldap-plugin/src/main/resources/sonia/scm/auth/ldap/sonia.ldap.js
index 18af70ad7f..4ba1050894 100644
--- a/plugins/scm-auth-ldap-plugin/src/main/resources/sonia/scm/auth/ldap/sonia.ldap.js
+++ b/plugins/scm-auth-ldap-plugin/src/main/resources/sonia/scm/auth/ldap/sonia.ldap.js
@@ -30,7 +30,6 @@
  */
 
 
-
 registerGeneralConfigPanel({
   xtype : 'configForm',
   title : 'LDAP Authentication',
@@ -39,57 +38,48 @@ registerGeneralConfigPanel({
     fieldLabel : 'Fullname Attribute Name',
     name : 'attribute-name-fullname',
     allowBlank : true
-  }
-  ,{
+  },{
     xtype : 'textfield',
     fieldLabel : 'ID Attribute Name',
     name : 'attribute-name-id',
     allowBlank : true
-  }
-  ,{
+  },{
     xtype : 'textfield',
     fieldLabel : 'Mail Attribute Name',
     name : 'attribute-name-mail',
     allowBlank : true
-  }
-  ,{
+  },{
     xtype : 'textfield',
     fieldLabel : 'Group Attribute Name',
     name : 'attribute-name-group',
     allowBlank : true
-  }
-  ,{
+  },{
     xtype : 'textfield',
     fieldLabel : 'Base DN',
     name : 'base-dn',
     allowBlank : true
-  }
-  ,{
+  },{
     xtype : 'textfield',
     fieldLabel : 'Connection DN',
     name : 'connection-dn',
     allowBlank : true
-  }
-  ,{
+  },{
     xtype : 'textfield',
     inputType: 'password',
     fieldLabel : 'Connection Password',
     name : 'connection-password',
     allowBlank : true
-  }
-  ,{
+  },{
     xtype : 'textfield',
     fieldLabel : 'Host URL',
     name : 'host-url',
     allowBlank : true
-  }
-  ,{
+  },{
     xtype : 'textfield',
     fieldLabel : 'Search Filter',
     name : 'search-filter',
     allowBlank : true
-  }
-  ,{
+  },{
     xtype : 'combo',
     fieldLabel : 'Search Scope',
     name : 'search-scope',
@@ -108,18 +98,20 @@ registerGeneralConfigPanel({
         ['sub']
       ]
     })
-  }
-  ,{
+  },{
     xtype : 'textfield',
     fieldLabel : 'Groups Unit',
     name : 'unit-groups',
     allowBlank : true
-  }
-  ,{
+  },{
     xtype : 'textfield',
     fieldLabel : 'Groups People',
     name : 'unit-people',
     allowBlank : true
+  },{
+    xtpye: 'checkbox',
+    fieldLabel : 'Enabled',
+    name: 'enabled'
   }],
 
   onSubmit: function(values){