diff --git a/reviewboard/accounts/backends.py b/reviewboard/accounts/backends.py
--- a/reviewboard/accounts/backends.py
+++ b/reviewboard/accounts/backends.py
@@ -249,21 +249,24 @@ class ActiveDirectoryBackend:
         connections = self.get_ldap_connections()
 
         username = username.strip()
+        required_group = settings.AD_GROUP_NAME
 
         for con in connections:
             try:
                 bind_username ='%s@%s' % (username, self.get_domain_name())
                 con.simple_bind_s(bind_username, password)
                 user_data = self.search_ad(con, '(&(objectClass=user)(sAMAccountName=%s))' % username)
-                try:
-                    group_names = self.get_member_of(con, user_data)
-                except Exception, e:
-                    logging.error("Active Directory error: failed getting groups for user %s" % username)
-                    return None
-                required_group = settings.AD_GROUP_NAME
-                if required_group and not required_group in group_names:
-                    logging.warning("Active Directory: User %s is not in required group %s" % (username, required_group))
-                    return None
+                if required_group:
+                    try:
+                        group_names = self.get_member_of(con, user_data)
+                    except Exception, e:
+                        logging.error("Active Directory error: failed getting groups for user %s" % username)
+                        logging.error('Exception text: %s' % e)
+                        return None
+
+                    if required_group not in group_names:
+                        logging.warning("Active Directory: User %s is not in required group %s" % (username, required_group))
+                        return None
 
                 return self.get_or_create_user(username, user_data)
             except ldap.SERVER_DOWN: