diff --git a/conduwuit-example.toml b/conduwuit-example.toml
index 68f5b965..06e67a89 100644
--- a/conduwuit-example.toml
+++ b/conduwuit-example.toml
@@ -1797,7 +1797,7 @@
 #
 # example: "ou=users,dc=example,dc=org"
 #
-#base_dn =
+#base_dn = ""
 
 # Bind DN if anonymous search is not enabled.
 #
@@ -1846,7 +1846,7 @@
 #
 # example: "ou=admins,dc=example,dc=org"
 #
-#admin_base_dn =
+#admin_base_dn = ""
 
 # The LDAP search filter to find administrative users for continuwuity.
 #
diff --git a/src/core/config/mod.rs b/src/core/config/mod.rs
index e996d1fa..13778b5e 100644
--- a/src/core/config/mod.rs
+++ b/src/core/config/mod.rs
@@ -2063,7 +2063,9 @@ pub struct LdapConfig {
 	/// Root of the searches.
 	///
 	/// example: "ou=users,dc=example,dc=org"
-	#[serde(default = "empty_string_fn")]
+	///
+	/// default: ""
+	#[serde(default)]
 	pub base_dn: String,
 
 	/// Bind DN if anonymous search is not enabled.
@@ -2076,7 +2078,9 @@ pub struct LdapConfig {
 	///
 	/// example: "cn=ldap-reader,dc=example,dc=org" or
 	/// "cn={username},ou=users,dc=example,dc=org"
-	#[serde(default = "some_empty_string_fn")]
+	///
+	/// default:
+	#[serde(default)]
 	pub bind_dn: Option<String>,
 
 	/// Path to a file on the system that contains the password for the
@@ -2118,7 +2122,9 @@ pub struct LdapConfig {
 	/// Defaults to `base_dn` if empty.
 	///
 	/// example: "ou=admins,dc=example,dc=org"
-	#[serde(default = "empty_string_fn")]
+	///
+	/// default: ""
+	#[serde(default)]
 	pub admin_base_dn: String,
 
 	/// The LDAP search filter to find administrative users for continuwuity.
@@ -2130,7 +2136,9 @@ pub struct LdapConfig {
 	/// entered username for more complex filters.
 	///
 	/// example: "(objectClass=conduwuitAdmin)" or "(uid={username})"
-	#[serde(default = "empty_string_fn")]
+	///
+	/// default:
+	#[serde(default)]
 	pub admin_filter: String,
 }
 
@@ -2232,10 +2240,6 @@ impl Config {
 
 fn true_fn() -> bool { true }
 
-fn empty_string_fn() -> String { String::new() }
-
-fn some_empty_string_fn() -> Option<String> { Some(String::new()) }
-
 fn default_address() -> ListeningAddr {
 	ListeningAddr {
 		addrs: Right(vec![Ipv4Addr::LOCALHOST.into(), Ipv6Addr::LOCALHOST.into()]),