diff --git a/authentic/identities.py b/authentic/identities.py
index 7388cc3..7bc8e4e 100644
--- a/authentic/identities.py
+++ b/authentic/identities.py
@@ -1041,8 +1041,6 @@ class IdentitiesStoreLdap(BaseIdentitiesStore):
                 # because called from SOAP for a defederate or something,
                 # ignore; the federation data is anyway stored elsewhere
                 return False
-            except ldap.INVALID_SYNTAX:
-                return False
         return modified
 
     def get_identity_for_name_identifier(self, name_identifier):