diff --git a/internal/core/user.go b/internal/core/user.go
index e74ccfe..ce03eeb 100644
--- a/internal/core/user.go
+++ b/internal/core/user.go
@@ -64,7 +64,6 @@ func (u User) RenderToLDAP(suffix string, allGroups map[string]Group) LDAPObject
 			"uid":          {u.LoginName},
 			"cn":           {u.FullName()},
 			"sn":           {u.FamilyName},
-			"givenName":    {u.GivenName},
 			"userPassword": {u.PasswordHash},
 			"isMemberOf":   memberOfGroupDNames,
 			"objectClass":  {"portunusPerson", "inetOrgPerson", "organizationalPerson", "person", "top"},
@@ -74,6 +73,9 @@ func (u User) RenderToLDAP(suffix string, allGroups map[string]Group) LDAPObject
 	if u.EMailAddress != "" {
 		obj.Attributes["mail"] = []string{u.EMailAddress}
 	}
+	if u.GivenName != "" {
+		obj.Attributes["givenName"] = []string{u.GivenName}
+	}
 	if len(u.SSHPublicKeys) > 0 {
 		obj.Attributes["sshPublicKey"] = u.SSHPublicKeys
 	}
diff --git a/internal/frontend/users.go b/internal/frontend/users.go
index 225c5b3..1a961ca 100644
--- a/internal/frontend/users.go
+++ b/internal/frontend/users.go
@@ -168,7 +168,6 @@ func buildUserMasterdataFieldset(e core.Engine, u *core.User, state *h.FormState
 			Name:      "given_name",
 			Label:     "Given name",
 			Rules: []h.ValidationRule{
-				core.MustNotBeEmpty,
 				core.MustNotHaveSurroundingSpaces,
 			},
 		},