diff --git a/ipaserver/plugins/ldap2.py b/ipaserver/plugins/ldap2.py
index 71c095d05..e671ecba7 100644
--- a/ipaserver/plugins/ldap2.py
+++ b/ipaserver/plugins/ldap2.py
@@ -442,7 +442,7 @@ class ldap2(CrudBackend, LDAPClient):
         # update group entry
         try:
             with self.error_handler():
-                modlist = [(a, self.encode(b), self.encode(c))
+                modlist = [(a, b, self.encode(c))
                            for a, b, c in modlist]
                 self.conn.modify_s(str(group_dn), modlist)
         except errors.MidairCollision: