diff --git a/builtin/credential/ldap/path_config.go b/builtin/credential/ldap/path_config.go
index 5ab6b9a46..d9848b5f5 100644
--- a/builtin/credential/ldap/path_config.go
+++ b/builtin/credential/ldap/path_config.go
@@ -1,11 +1,14 @@
 package ldap
 
 import (
+	"fmt"
+	"net"
 	"net/url"
 	"strings"
 
 	"github.com/hashicorp/vault/logical"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/vault/logical/framework"
+	"github.com/vanackere/ldap"
 )
 
 func pathConfig(b *backend) *framework.Path {
@@ -89,9 +92,14 @@ func (b *backend) pathConfigWrite(
 		cfg.Domain = domain
 	}
 
-	if !cfg.ValidateURL() {
-		return logical.ErrorResponse("LDAP URL is malformed"), nil
+	// Try to connect to the LDAP server, to validate the URL configuration
+	// We can also check the URL at this stage, as anything else would probably
+	// require authentication.
+	conn, cerr := cfg.DialLDAP()
+	if cerr != nil {
+		return logical.ErrorResponse(cerr.Error()), nil
 	}
+	conn.Close()
 
 	entry, err := logical.StorageEntryJSON("config", cfg)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -110,18 +118,37 @@ type ConfigEntry struct {
 	UserAttr string
 }
 
-func (c *ConfigEntry) ValidateURL() bool {
+func (c *ConfigEntry) DialLDAP() (*ldap.Conn, error) {
+
 	u, err := url.Parse(c.Url)
 	if err != nil {
-		return false
+		return nil, err
 	}
-	if u.Scheme != "ldap" && u.Scheme != "ldaps" {
-		return false
+	host, port, err := net.SplitHostPort(u.Host)
+	if err != nil {
+		host = u.Host
 	}
-	if u.Path != "" {
-		return false
+
+	var conn *ldap.Conn
+	switch u.Scheme {
+	case "ldap":
+		if port == "" {
+			port = "389"
+		}
+		conn, err = ldap.Dial("tcp", host+":"+port)
+	case "ldaps":
+		if port == "" {
+			port = "636"
+		}
+		conn, err = ldap.DialTLS("tcp", host+":"+port, nil)
+	default:
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("invalid LDAP scheme")
 	}
-	return true
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("cannot connect to LDAP: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	return conn, nil
 }
 
 func (c *ConfigEntry) SetDefaults() {
diff --git a/builtin/credential/ldap/path_login.go b/builtin/credential/ldap/path_login.go
index 6ac09968f..03c3bbb3b 100644
--- a/builtin/credential/ldap/path_login.go
+++ b/builtin/credential/ldap/path_login.go
@@ -2,12 +2,9 @@ package ldap
 
 import (
 	"fmt"
-	"net"
-	"net/url"
 
 	"github.com/hashicorp/vault/logical"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/vault/logical/framework"
-	"github.com/mmitton/ldap"
 )
 
 func pathLogin(b *backend) *framework.Path {
@@ -47,37 +44,14 @@ func (b *backend) pathLogin(
 		return logical.ErrorResponse("ldap backend not configured"), nil
 	}
 
-	u, err := url.Parse(cfg.Url)
+	c, err := cfg.DialLDAP()
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
-	host, port, err := net.SplitHostPort(u.Host)
-	if err != nil {
-		host = u.Host
-	}
-
-	var c *ldap.Conn
-	var cerr *ldap.Error
-	switch u.Scheme {
-	case "ldap":
-		if port == "" {
-			port = "389"
-		}
-		c, cerr = ldap.Dial("tcp", host+":"+port)
-	case "ldaps":
-		if port == "" {
-			port = "636"
-		}
-		c, cerr = ldap.DialSSL("tcp", host+":"+port)
-	default:
-		return logical.ErrorResponse("invalid LDAP URL scheme"), nil
-	}
-	if cerr != nil {
-		return nil, cerr
+		return logical.ErrorResponse(err.Error()), nil
 	}
 
+	// Try to authenticate to the server using the provided credentials
 	binddn := fmt.Sprintf("%s=%s,%s", cfg.UserAttr, username, cfg.Domain)
-	cerr = c.Bind(binddn, password)
+	cerr := c.Bind(binddn, password)
 	if cerr != nil {
 		return logical.ErrorResponse(fmt.Sprintf("LDAP bind failed: %s", cerr.Error())), nil
 	}