diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index a8baadc..cc06fa6 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ Role Variables
 --------------
 org: no default
 ldap_base - from group variables
+nlu_dn_attribute - default firstname can be email
 binddn - from group variables
 bindpwd - from group variables
 file : default account.csv csv file containing user to create:
diff --git a/defaults/main.yml b/defaults/main.yml
index 56fa136..3389d1d 100644
--- a/defaults/main.yml
+++ b/defaults/main.yml
@@ -1,2 +1,3 @@
 ---
 # defaults file for tco.new_ldap_user
+nlu_dn_attribute: "firstname"
diff --git a/tasks/ldap_user_inc.yml b/tasks/ldap_user_inc.yml
index 10803d7..0e1ffe8 100644
--- a/tasks/ldap_user_inc.yml
+++ b/tasks/ldap_user_inc.yml
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
       firstname: "{{ item.firstname }}"
       lastname: "{{ item.lastname }}"
       email: "{{ item.email }}"
-      dn: "uid={{ item.firstname |lower }}, ou={{ org }},{{ ldap_base }}"
+      dn: "uid={{ item[ nlu_dn_attribute ] |lower }},ou={{ org }},{{ ldap_base }}"
       password: "{{ (item.password=='')| ternary(lookup('community.general.random_string', min_lower=1, min_upper=1, special=false,min_numeric=1, length=14), item.password ) }}"
 
   - name: "add ldap account {{dn }}"