diff --git a/rhodecode/lib/__init__.py b/rhodecode/lib/__init__.py
--- a/rhodecode/lib/__init__.py
+++ b/rhodecode/lib/__init__.py
@@ -26,7 +26,16 @@
 # MA  02110-1301, USA.
 
 def str2bool(v):
-    return v.lower() in ["yes", "true", "t", "1"] if v else None
+    if isinstance(v, (str, unicode)):
+        obj = v.strip().lower()
+        if obj in ['true', 'yes', 'on', 'y', 't', '1']:
+            return True
+        elif obj in ['false', 'no', 'off', 'n', 'f', '0']:
+            return False
+        else:
+            if not safe:
+                raise ValueError("String is not true/false: %r" % obj)
+    return bool(obj)
 
 def generate_api_key(username, salt=None):
     from tempfile import _RandomNameSequence
diff --git a/rhodecode/lib/auth.py b/rhodecode/lib/auth.py
--- a/rhodecode/lib/auth.py
+++ b/rhodecode/lib/auth.py
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ if __platform__ == 'Windows':
 if __platform__ in ('Linux', 'Darwin'):
     import bcrypt
 
-
+from rhodecode.lib import str2bool
 from rhodecode.lib.exceptions import LdapPasswordError, LdapUsernameError
 from rhodecode.lib.utils import get_repo_slug
 from rhodecode.lib.auth_ldap import AuthLdap
@@ -179,7 +179,7 @@ def authenticate(username, password):
         #======================================================================
         # FALLBACK TO LDAP AUTH IF ENABLE                
         #======================================================================
-        if ldap_settings.get('ldap_active', False):
+        if str2bool(ldap_settings.get('ldap_active')):
             log.debug("Authenticating user using ldap")
             kwargs = {
                   'server':ldap_settings.get('ldap_host', ''),
@@ -187,7 +187,7 @@ def authenticate(username, password):
                   'port':ldap_settings.get('ldap_port'),
                   'bind_dn':ldap_settings.get('ldap_dn_user'),
                   'bind_pass':ldap_settings.get('ldap_dn_pass'),
-                  'use_ldaps':ldap_settings.get('ldap_ldaps'),
+                  'use_ldaps':str2bool(ldap_settings.get('ldap_ldaps')),
                   'tls_reqcert':ldap_settings.get('ldap_tls_reqcert'),
                   'ldap_filter':ldap_settings.get('ldap_filter'),
                   'search_scope':ldap_settings.get('ldap_search_scope'),
diff --git a/rhodecode/model/settings.py b/rhodecode/model/settings.py
--- a/rhodecode/model/settings.py
+++ b/rhodecode/model/settings.py
@@ -95,8 +95,11 @@ class SettingsModel(BaseModel):
 
         for row in r:
             v = row.app_settings_value
-            if v in ['0', '1']:
-                v = v == '1'
+            if v in ['true', 'yes', 'on', 'y', 't', '1']:
+                v = True
+            elif v in ['false', 'no', 'off', 'n', 'f', '0']:
+                v = False
+
             fd.update({row.app_settings_name:v})
 
         return fd