diff --git a/extensions/guacamole-auth-ldap/src/main/java/org/apache/guacamole/auth/ldap/ConfigurationService.java b/extensions/guacamole-auth-ldap/src/main/java/org/apache/guacamole/auth/ldap/ConfigurationService.java
index 0b6f9e9e9..b7812369e 100644
--- a/extensions/guacamole-auth-ldap/src/main/java/org/apache/guacamole/auth/ldap/ConfigurationService.java
+++ b/extensions/guacamole-auth-ldap/src/main/java/org/apache/guacamole/auth/ldap/ConfigurationService.java
@@ -316,6 +316,7 @@ public class ConfigurationService {
      *     The search filter that should be used when querying the
      *     LDAP server for users that are valid in Guacamole, or
      *     "(objectClass=*)" if not specified.
+     *
      * @throws GuacamoleException
      *     If guacamole.properties cannot be parsed.
      */
@@ -326,37 +327,6 @@ public class ConfigurationService {
         );
     }
 
-    /**
-     * Returns the authentication method to use during referral following.
-     *
-     * @return
-     *     The authentication method to use during referral following
-     *     as configured in guacamole.properties or as derived from
-     *     other configuration options.
-     *
-     * @throws GuacamoleException
-     *     If guacamole.properties cannot be parsed.
-     */
-    public String getReferralAuthentication() throws GuacamoleException {
-        String confMethod = environment.getProperty(
-            LDAPGuacamoleProperties.LDAP_REFERRAL_AUTHENTICATION
-        );
-
-        if (confMethod == null)
-
-            if (getSearchBindDN() != null && getSearchBindPassword() != null)
-                return "bind";
-
-            else
-                return "anonymous";
-
-        else if (confMethod.equals("bind") && (getSearchBindDN() == null || getSearchBindPassword() == null))
-            throw new GuacamoleException("Referral is set to bind with credentials, but credentials are not configured.");
-
-        return confMethod;
-
-    }
-
     /**
      * Returns the maximum number of seconds to wait for LDAP operations
      *
diff --git a/extensions/guacamole-auth-ldap/src/main/java/org/apache/guacamole/auth/ldap/LDAPConnectionService.java b/extensions/guacamole-auth-ldap/src/main/java/org/apache/guacamole/auth/ldap/LDAPConnectionService.java
index 82e6ca5af..a4cb8bb72 100644
--- a/extensions/guacamole-auth-ldap/src/main/java/org/apache/guacamole/auth/ldap/LDAPConnectionService.java
+++ b/extensions/guacamole-auth-ldap/src/main/java/org/apache/guacamole/auth/ldap/LDAPConnectionService.java
@@ -123,8 +123,7 @@ public class LDAPConnectionService {
 
         // If the referral auth method is set to bind, we set it using the existing
         // username and password.
-        String refAuthMethod = confService.getReferralAuthentication();
-        if (refAuthMethod != null && refAuthMethod.equals("bind"))
+        if (userDN != null && !userDN.isEmpty())
             ldapConstraints.setReferralHandler(new ReferralAuthHandler(userDN, password));
 
         // Set the maximum number of referrals we follow
diff --git a/extensions/guacamole-auth-ldap/src/main/java/org/apache/guacamole/auth/ldap/LDAPGuacamoleProperties.java b/extensions/guacamole-auth-ldap/src/main/java/org/apache/guacamole/auth/ldap/LDAPGuacamoleProperties.java
index 7a1dcadf6..63f5d0dfa 100644
--- a/extensions/guacamole-auth-ldap/src/main/java/org/apache/guacamole/auth/ldap/LDAPGuacamoleProperties.java
+++ b/extensions/guacamole-auth-ldap/src/main/java/org/apache/guacamole/auth/ldap/LDAPGuacamoleProperties.java
@@ -195,16 +195,6 @@ public class LDAPGuacamoleProperties {
 
     };
 
-    /**
-     * Authentication method to use to follow referrals
-     */
-    public static final StringGuacamoleProperty LDAP_REFERRAL_AUTHENTICATION = new StringGuacamoleProperty() {
-
-        @Override
-        public String getName() { return "ldap-referral-authentication"; }
-
-    };
-
     /**
      * Number of seconds to wait for LDAP operations to complete
      */