diff --git a/src/op/bind.rs b/src/op/bind.rs
index cfa9d65..e5ac34a 100644
--- a/src/op/bind.rs
+++ b/src/op/bind.rs
@@ -34,6 +34,33 @@ pub async fn bind<W: AsyncWrite + Unpin>(
 ) -> Result<Option<ClientState>, LdapError> {
     trace!("{:?}", lbr);
 
+    if lbr.dn == "" {
+        // Here we pretend to have successfully bound so that
+        // a client performing an anonymous bind can proceed with
+        // more requests (such as a search request).
+        // This supports ldap search which always performs a bind.
+        let resp_msg = LdapMsg {
+            msgid,
+            op: LdapOp::BindResponse(LdapBindResponse {
+                res: LdapResult {
+                    code: LdapResultCode::Success,
+                    matcheddn: "".to_string(),
+                    message: "".to_string(),
+                    referral: vec![],
+                },
+                saslcreds: None,
+            }),
+            ctrl: vec![],
+        };
+        w.send(resp_msg).await.map_err(|err| {
+            error!("Unable to send response: {err}");
+            LdapError::Transport
+        })?;
+        // We still treat the client as unbounded because it doesn't
+        // have a session to a backend.
+        return Ok(Some(ClientState::Unbound));
+    }
+
     let request_dn = lbr.dn.clone();
 
     debug!("Received bind request on DN: {}", lbr.dn);
@@ -52,6 +79,7 @@ pub async fn bind<W: AsyncWrite + Unpin>(
         .iter()
         .find(|x| x.from.to_lowercase() == requested_domain)
     else {
+        // TODO: we should probably return an error to the client here
         debug!("No mapping found for domain {requested_domain}");
         return Err(LdapError::InvalidQuery);
     };