diff --git a/DEPLOYMENT.md b/DEPLOYMENT.md
index 2777e00..617246d 100644
--- a/DEPLOYMENT.md
+++ b/DEPLOYMENT.md
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ bare-metal / advanced standalone use; most deployments should use the file.
 - Health check: `http://localhost:3001/health` → `{"status":"ok"}`
 - OIDC discovery: `http://localhost:3001/.well-known/openid-configuration`
 - LDAP (internal, app↔slapd): `ldap://localhost:389` (not mapped to the host)
-- LDAPS (for legacy apps / direct binds): `ldaps://<host>:636` (TLS)
+- LDAPS (direct binds: Linux hosts, LDAP-native apps): `ldaps://<host>:636` (TLS)
 
 ### API tokens (personal access tokens)
 
@@ -483,8 +483,8 @@ netstat -tlnp | grep 389
 2. **Use LDAPS / StartTLS** for any LDAP connection that crosses the network. The
    bundled slapd listens on `ldaps:///` (636, TLS) and `ldap:///` (389, plain +
    StartTLS); port 389 is not mapped to the host by default so LAN clients can't
-   bind in cleartext. Direct-LDAP apps (legacy services, `theta42/proxy`) should
-   use `ldaps://…:636` or StartTLS.
+   bind in cleartext. Direct-LDAP consumers (Linux hosts, LDAP-native apps,
+   `theta42/proxy`) should use `ldaps://…:636` or StartTLS.
 3. **Persist `JWT_SECRET`** — if the Docker image auto-generates one and you don't
    set `JWT_SECRET`, issued tokens invalidate on container recreation.
 4. **Don't expose the UI's HTTP port to the internet** — terminate TLS at a front
diff --git a/Dockerfile.openldap b/Dockerfile.openldap
index 2b65fbc..b795690 100644
--- a/Dockerfile.openldap
+++ b/Dockerfile.openldap
@@ -131,7 +131,8 @@ COPY ops/schema/openssh-lpk.schema /etc/openldap/schema/openssh-lpk.schema
 # 3001: SSO Manager web interface (HTTP — terminate TLS at the front proxy)
 # 389:  LDAP  (plain + StartTLS) — used internally by the app; map to host only
 #       if you want LAN clients to bind without TLS (not recommended).
-# 636:  LDAPS — for legacy apps / direct LDAP binds over the network (TLS)
+# 636:  LDAPS — direct LDAP binds over the network (TLS): Linux host auth
+#       (PAM/SSSD, sudo, SSH keys) and LDAP-native apps
 EXPOSE 3001 389 636
 
 # Health check
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 6e5f7a2..055bef1 100755
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -41,9 +41,10 @@ phone-home, no hosted control plane, and no per-user pricing.
 - **Web management UI** — manage users, groups, and OAuth clients from a
   browser; invite and password-reset flows over email; user self-service for
   profile and API tokens.
-- **LDAPS for legacy apps** — apps that bind LDAP directly (Gitea, Emby, and
-  anything else that speaks LDAP) use LDAPS (636) or StartTLS against the same
-  directory, so you don't maintain a second user database for them.
+- **Direct LDAP binds** — Linux hosts (PAM/SSSD login, LDAP-backed `sudo`
+  rules, SSH public keys via openssh-lpk) and LDAP-native apps (Gitea, Emby,
+  and anything else that speaks LDAP) use LDAPS (636) or StartTLS against the
+  same directory, so you don't maintain a second user database for them.
 - **Personal access tokens** — any user can mint a long-lived bearer token to
   drive the management API from scripts or CI, scoped to their own permissions.
 - **All-in-one Docker image** — app + OpenLDAP + Redis in one container, or run
@@ -151,7 +152,7 @@ details, including env var overrides (`LDAP_BASE_DN`, `SKIP_LDAP`, ...), in
 ┌────────────────────────┐
 │  OpenLDAP (slapd)      │
 │  - users / groups      │
-│  - LDAPS :636          │─── legacy apps bind directly
+│  - LDAPS :636          │─── Linux hosts + LDAP apps bind directly
 │  - StartTLS :389       │
 └────────────────────────┘
 ```
diff --git a/docs/index.md b/docs/index.md
index 123c4d7..ac495e0 100644
--- a/docs/index.md
+++ b/docs/index.md
@@ -52,8 +52,9 @@ backend, that's the niche.
 - **Web management UI** — users, groups, and OAuth clients from a browser;
   invite and password-reset flows over email; self-service profile + API
   tokens.
-- **LDAPS for legacy apps** — anything that binds LDAP directly (Gitea,
-  Emby, …) uses LDAPS/StartTLS against the same directory.
+- **Direct LDAP binds** — anything that binds LDAP directly (Linux hosts
+  via PAM/SSSD, Gitea, Emby, …) uses LDAPS/StartTLS against the same
+  directory.
 - **All-in-one Docker image** — app + OpenLDAP + Redis in one container, or
   run the pieces separately via `app_*` env config.
 - **Geo-Location Scaling** — built-in support for N-Way Multi-Master OpenLDAP [replication](replication.html) across physical sites.
diff --git a/docs/ldap.md b/docs/ldap.md
index dca32be..8cdd785 100644
--- a/docs/ldap.md
+++ b/docs/ldap.md
@@ -14,8 +14,9 @@ description: SSO Manager's bundled OpenLDAP directory — schema, service accoun
 
 SSO Manager runs an OpenLDAP directory holding your users and groups. The app
 authenticates against it over `localhost:389` (inside the all-in-one container)
-and exposes **LDAPS** (`ldaps://…:636`, TLS) for legacy apps that bind LDAP
-directly — Gitea, Emby, the theta42/proxy, etc.
+and exposes **LDAPS** (`ldaps://…:636`, TLS) for anything that binds LDAP
+directly — Linux hosts (PAM/SSSD, sudo rules, SSH keys), Gitea, Emby, the
+theta42/proxy, etc.
 
 ## Directory layout