ldap.initialize() is documented as having a bytes_strictness parameter as seen here: http://www.python-ldap.org/en/latest/reference/ldap.html#ldap.initialize.

It needs to be added to the parameter list here:

also the docstring, and finally in the call to LDAPObject().

The LDAPObject (SimpleLDAPObject in ldapobject.py) already supports the bytes_strictness parameter.

As an initial work-around one can do this:

conn = ldap.initialize(url, bytes_mode=False)
conn.bytes_strictness = 'silent'

bytes_strictness defaults to 'error' thus defeating the automatic type conversion described here: http://www.python-ldap.org/en/latest/bytes_mode.html#bytes-mode