diff --git a/product/ZLDAPConnection/ZLDAP.py b/product/ZLDAPConnection/ZLDAP.py
index a5435adf2a692778552a158f757d6fb545d65b78..902f317ac2f6c51aaa1406867ace59c869260f17 100644
--- a/product/ZLDAPConnection/ZLDAP.py
+++ b/product/ZLDAPConnection/ZLDAP.py
@@ -380,8 +380,7 @@ class ZLDAPConnection(
     def __ping(self):
         " more expensive check on the connection and validity of conn "
         try:
-            self._connection().search_s(self.dn,ldap.SCOPE_BASE,
-                                        'objectclass=*')
+            self._connection().whoami_s()
             return 1
         except:
             self._close()