fix: skip host self-registration when sso_token empty; roll up ldap-client v1.25.0 (v1.40.0) (#166)

ldap-client no longer POSTs an empty Bearer to /api/directory-admin/resources
(the misleading 'Invalid Credentials, login failed' during setup). Gitlink ->
ldap-client 68fcdb5 (v1.25.0).

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -8,6 +8,53 @@ orchestration code; see each submodule's own `CHANGELOG.md`
 [sso-manager-node](https://github.com/theta42/sso-manager-node/blob/master/CHANGELOG.md))
 for what changed inside the apps it composes.
 
+## [v1.40.0] - 2026-08-05
+
+### Fixed
+- **No more spurious "Invalid Credentials, login failed" during LDAP enrollment** (ldap-client v1.25.0, gitlink `68fcdb5`) — `index.sh` self-registered the host in the Directory when `sso_token` was *declared but empty* (it checked `[[ -v ]]`), POSTing an empty Bearer token and getting a misleading `LDAPLoginFailed`. It now only registers with a real token; the stack host (already seeded by the bootstrap) skips registration.
+- **The `cn=ldapclient` service account now shows in the SSO Users UI** — it was created as a bare `organizationalRole` (invisible to the `posixAccount` user filter) and never joined `app_sso_service_account`, so it never appeared as a service account. The bootstrap now creates it as a `posixAccount` (uid 10001, above the regular-user reserved floor) and adds it to `app_sso_service_account`; for an existing account it best-effort adds the `posixAccount` shape (auxiliary, so it can't conflict with the structural `organizationalRole`) + the group membership.
+
+## [v1.39.0] - 2026-08-05
+
+### Fixed
+- **Plain LDAP (389) now reachable from the host** — `docker-compose.yml` published only LDAPS (636); plain LDAP (389) was deliberately not mapped, so the stack host's own enrollment (`setup.sh` → ldap-client, which configures sssd against `ldap://localhost:389` and `ldaps://localhost:636`) could not reach the directory over loopback. Both 389 and 636 are now published to the host (bind 0.0.0.0; `LDAP_BIND`/`LDAPS_BIND=127.0.0.1` to lock to the host only).
+
+## [v1.38.0] - 2026-08-04
+
+### Fixed
+- **LDAP enrollment no longer reaches for the public domain** — `setup.sh` generated `ldap.vars` with `ldap_host` defaulting to the public SSO host (`sso.<domain>`), which the NAT/firewall blocks on the LDAP ports (389/636). It now defaults to `localhost` (the LDAP server is co-located on the stack host; `ldap_tls_reqcert=never` makes this safe), overridable with `CFG_LDAPS_HOST` for an internal hostname/IP.
+- **SSH access groups match the SSO group model** (ldap-client v1.24.0) — the generated `sssd.conf` access filter and `ldap-ssh-key.sh` referenced the legacy names (`<location>_access`, `app_super_admin`); they now use `site_<location>_hosts_access` (all-hosts aggregate), `site_<location>_host_<hostname>_access`, and `god_admin`. GROUPS.md §8's example updated to match.
+
+## [v1.37.0] - 2026-08-04
+
+### Changed
+- **Group naming corrected to match docs/GROUPS.md** — per-resource groups are `{site}_{kind}_{name}_{level}` (kind always present; a host `host_theta-env` → `site_local_host_theta-env_access`, a service → `site_local_app_sso-manager_access`). The spec's §3 text was updated to state this explicitly.
+- **Roll up sso v1.27.0** — group names match the docs, a site carries only god + site-wide groups, duplicate group links removed, `/api/agent/*` no longer 404s, shared-secrets POST/GET fixed, Vault Apps tab lists minted tokens, discovery promote + plugin run logs fixed. See the [sso changelog](https://github.com/theta42/sso-manager-node/blob/master/CHANGELOG.md).
+
+## [v1.36.1] - 2026-08-04
+
+### Fixed
+- **`setup.sh` no longer aborts with `CFG_BASE_DN: unbound variable`** — the ldap-client `ldap.vars` generation read the CFG_* first-run vars, which `ensure_config` only derives once (it returns early on a re-run once `sso-secrets.js` exists). It now reads the real values from the operator-owned `./config/sso-secrets.js` when the CFG_* vars are unset, so LDAP enrollment works on re-runs too. The generated `ldap_access_groups` now references `god_admin` (the legacy `app_super_admin` is gone).
+- **Roll up sso v1.26.1** — drops the legacy `app_super_admin`: `SUPER_ADMIN_GROUP` is now `god_admin` (nested into every resource's `_admin` group), and `docker-entrypoint.sh` no longer seeds/nests `app_super_admin`. See the [sso changelog](https://github.com/theta42/sso-manager-node/blob/master/CHANGELOG.md).
+
+## [v1.36.0] - 2026-08-04
+
+### Added
+- **`god_admin` seeded + site groups auto-provisioned** (sso v1.26.0) — `god_admin` exists from first boot; every site gets `{site}_super_admin`, `{site}_hosts_*`/`{site}_apps_*` aggregates and `{site}_everyone`; per-resource groups (`{site}_{slug}_{level}`) nest into the site aggregates (the inheritance lattice now exists in LDAP, not just the resolver). See the sso changelog for the full group-model completeness + server-side naming enforcement + Directory god_admin management.
+- **Docker discovery plugin configured out of the box** — the bootstrap seeds a `docker-local` plugin instance pointed at `/var/run/docker.sock`, so a fresh stack discovers its own containers into the Directory immediately (idempotent; an operator-created instance is left alone).
+
+### Fixed
+- **ldap-client enrollment no longer fails** — `setup.sh` was calling `ldap-client/index.sh`, which refuses to run without a gitignored `ldap.vars` that nothing ever created (the "ldap.vars file not found!" + "enrollment failed" you saw). It now generates `ldap-client/ldap.vars` from the stack's own config (LDAPS host, base DN, `cn=ldapclient` bind + service password, SSO URL, site name) before enrolling; an operator-provided `ldap.vars` is always kept.
+- **theta-agent no longer logs `Unknown command type: heartbeat_ack`** every minute — the server's ack of the agent's own heartbeat is now silently ignored instead of falling through to the unknown-command handler (which also answered with a spurious error).
+
+### Changed
+- **Roll up sso v1.26.0 + theta-agent v1.3.0** — gitlinks point at the version-tagged commits for both submodules (sso-manager-node → 8a9de94, theta-agent → 52379c2). Full changelogs: [sso](https://github.com/theta42/sso-manager-node/blob/master/CHANGELOG.md), [theta-agent](https://github.com/theta42/theta-agent/blob/master/CHANGELOG.md).
+
+## [v1.35.18] - 2026-08-04
+
+### Changed
+- **Sync proxy + jump-host gitlinks to their version-tagged commits** — proxy v1.33.0 and jump-host v1.18.0 bumped their package.json to match their tags; this release picks up those corrected gitlinks so a fresh deploy reports the matching versions.
+
 ## [v1.35.17] - 2026-08-04
 
 ### Added

README.md

@@ -129,12 +129,15 @@ see browser warnings.)
 
 Optional extra ports (only if you need them):
 - **4443** — alternate HTTPS listener (e.g. if 443 is taken by something else).
-- **636** (LDAPS) — for direct-LDAP clients on other machines (Linux hosts
-  via PAM/SSSD, LDAP-native apps). The proxy itself reaches LDAP over the
-  internal Docker network, so you do **not** need to expose 636 for the stack
-  to work.
-  **Do not forward 636 to the public internet.** If you need LAN clients to bind
-  LDAP, set `CFG_LDAPS_HOST=ldap.internal.example.com` (or `sso-manager` for
+- **389** (LDAP) + **636** (LDAPS) — direct-LDAP access. The stack host's **own**
+  enrollment (`setup.sh` → ldap-client) configures its sssd against
+  `ldap://localhost:389` / `ldaps://localhost:636`, so both ports are published
+  to the host by default (bind 0.0.0.0; set `LDAP_BIND`/`LDAPS_BIND=127.0.0.1` to
+  lock to the host). LAN clients (Linux hosts via PAM/SSSD, LDAP-native apps) can
+  bind over either; the proxy itself reaches LDAP over the internal Docker
+  network and doesn't need them.
+  **Do not forward 389/636 to the public internet.** If you need LAN clients to
+  bind LDAP, set `CFG_LDAPS_HOST=ldap.internal.example.com` (or `sso-manager` for
   same-host Docker clients) in `setup.env` and use an internal DNS record / cert
   SAN. The default shows the public SSO hostname, which implies a public route.
 

bootstrap/bootstrap.js

@@ -89,7 +89,13 @@ const CLIENT_NAME = 'theta-proxy';
 
 const ADMIN_DN  = `cn=${ADMIN_UID},ou=people,${BASE_DN}`;
 const SVC_DN    = `cn=ldapclient,ou=people,${BASE_DN}`;
-const ADMIN_GROUPS = ['app_sso_admin', 'app_sso_oauth_admin'];
+// god_admin is the global super group (docs/GROUPS.md §2); the bootstrapped
+// admin is its first member. app_sso_admin / app_sso_oauth_admin are the
+// per-console admin groups still used by the SSO UI. god_admin is nested into
+// the app_sso_* groups (and every resource's _admin group) by
+// docker-entrypoint.sh + api_directory_admin, so LDAP-level consumers (SSSD,
+// sudo) resolve it transitively.
+const ADMIN_GROUPS = ['god_admin', 'app_sso_admin', 'app_sso_oauth_admin'];
 
 const log  = (...a) => process.stderr.write('[bootstrap] ' + a.join(' ') + '\n');
 const out  = (k, v) => process.stdout.write(`${k}=${v}\n`);
@@ -172,31 +178,88 @@ function ldapModify(ldif) {
 }
 
 // ── 1. LDAP service account for the proxy ───────────────────────────────────
+// The proxy / ldap-client bind as cn=ldapclient. For it to SHOW in the SSO Users
+// UI as a service account it must (a) match the user filter (posixAccount) and
+// (b) be a member of app_sso_service_account (that membership is what the Users
+// page marks as a non-person/service account). Older bootstraps created it as a
+// bare organizationalRole (invisible to the Users list) and never joined the
+// group, so it never appeared. Both are fixed here; the existing-path shape add
+// is best-effort so a pre-existing account still binds even if the upgrade add
+// fails.
 function ensureServiceAccount() {
 	const pw = hashPasswordSSHA512(SVC_PASS);
+	const uidNum = '10001'; // distinct from the bootstrap admin's 10000; above uidGidReservedFloor so regular-user id allocation ignores it
 	if (entryExists(SVC_DN)) {
-		log(`Service account ${SVC_DN} exists — resetting password to ./config`);
-		const r = ldapModify([
+		log(`Service account ${SVC_DN} exists — ensuring service-account shape + password`);
+		// Add the auxiliary posixAccount objectClass + required attrs so the entry
+		// matches the Users list filter. inetOrgPerson is deliberately NOT added:
+		// it is structural and would conflict with the existing organizationalRole.
+		const shape = [
+			`dn: ${SVC_DN}`,
+			'changetype: modify',
+			'add: objectClass',
+			'objectClass: posixAccount',
+			'-',
+			'add: uid',
+			'uid: ldapclient',
+			'-',
+			'add: uidNumber',
+			`uidNumber: ${uidNum}`,
+			'-',
+			'add: gidNumber',
+			`gidNumber: ${uidNum}`,
+			'-',
+			'add: homeDirectory',
+			'homeDirectory: /nonexistent',
+			'-',
+			'add: description',
+			'description: LDAP bind service account (proxy / ldap-client)',
+			'',
+		].join('\n');
+		const rs = ldapModify(shape);
+		if (rs.code !== 0 && !/already exists|Type or value exists/i.test(rs.stderr)) {
+			log('  service-account shape warning (account still binds):', rs.stderr.trim());
+		}
+		const rp = ldapModify([
 			`dn: ${SVC_DN}`,
 			'changetype: modify',
 			'replace: userPassword',
 			`userPassword: ${pw}`,
 			'',
 		].join('\n'));
-		if (r.code !== 0) log('  password reset warning:', r.stderr.trim());
-		return;
+		if (rp.code !== 0) log('  password reset warning:', rp.stderr.trim());
+	} else {
+		log(`Creating service account ${SVC_DN}`);
+		const entry = [
+			`dn: ${SVC_DN}`,
+			'objectClass: inetOrgPerson',
+			'objectClass: posixAccount',
+			'objectClass: top',
+			'cn: ldapclient',
+			'sn: ldapclient',
+			'uid: ldapclient',
+			`uidNumber: ${uidNum}`,
+			`gidNumber: ${uidNum}`,
+			'homeDirectory: /nonexistent',
+			'description: LDAP bind service account (proxy / ldap-client)',
+			`userPassword: ${pw}`,
+			'',
+		].join('\n');
+		const r = ldapAdd(entry);
+		if (r.code !== 0) throw new Error(`ldapadd service account failed: ${r.stderr.trim()}`);
 	}
-	log(`Creating service account ${SVC_DN}`);
-	const r = ldapAdd([
-		`dn: ${SVC_DN}`,
-		'objectClass: organizationalRole',
-		'objectClass: simpleSecurityObject',
-		'objectClass: top',
-		'cn: ldapclient',
-		`userPassword: ${pw}`,
+	// Mark it as a service account (the Users UI's service-account signal).
+	const gdn = `cn=app_sso_service_account,ou=groups,${BASE_DN}`;
+	const rm = ldapModify([
+		`dn: ${gdn}`,
+		'changetype: modify',
+		'add: member',
+		`member: ${SVC_DN}`,
 		'',
 	].join('\n'));
-	if (r.code !== 0) throw new Error(`ldapadd service account failed: ${r.stderr.trim()}`);
+	if (rm.code === 0) log(`  marked ${SVC_DN} as a service account`);
+	else if (/already exists|Type or value exists/i.test(rm.stderr)) log(`  ${SVC_DN} already in app_sso_service_account`);
+	else log(`  app_sso_service_account membership warning:`, rm.stderr.trim());
 }
 
 // ── 2. First admin user ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────
@@ -537,6 +600,59 @@ async function seedDirectory(token, clientId, jumpClientId) {
 	await linkOauthClient(jumpClientId, jumpSvc, 'jump-host');
 }
 
+// ── Plugin instances ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+// Seed a sensible default set of plugin instances so the stack is usable the
+// moment it boots, without the operator having to add them by hand. The setup
+// stack runs on Docker, so the single biggest win is a Docker discovery plugin
+// pointed at the local daemon socket: containers that make up the stack (and
+// any others on the host) get discovered into the Directory automatically.
+// Idempotent per slug: an instance an operator already created is left alone.
+async function seedPlugins(token) {
+	async function pluginGet(path) {
+		const res = await fetch(`${SSO_INTERNAL}/api/plugins/${path}`, {
+			headers: { 'auth-token': token },
+		});
+		if (!res.ok) throw new Error(`GET /api/plugins/${path} failed (${res.status})`);
+		return res.json();
+	}
+	async function pluginPost(body) {
+		const res = await fetch(`${SSO_INTERNAL}/api/plugins/`, {
+			method: 'POST',
+			headers: { 'auth-token': token, 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
+			body: JSON.stringify(body),
+		});
+		if (!res.ok) {
+			const text = await res.text().catch(() => '');
+			throw new Error(`POST /api/plugins failed (${res.status}): ${text}`);
+		}
+		return res.json();
+	}
+
+	async function ensurePlugin({ pluginType, name, slug, config }) {
+		const existing = ((await pluginGet('')).results) || [];
+		if (existing.some((i) => i.slug === slug)) {
+			log(`  plugins: '${slug}' exists — keeping`);
+			return;
+		}
+		await pluginPost({ pluginType, name, slug, config });
+		log(`  plugins: created '${slug}' (${pluginType})`);
+	}
+
+	try {
+		// The Docker daemon the setup stack itself runs under. The socket must be
+		// mounted into the sso container for discovery to reach it; if it isn't,
+		// discovery simply errors non-fatally until it is.
+		await ensurePlugin({
+			pluginType: 'docker',
+			name: 'Local Docker daemon',
+			slug: 'docker-local',
+			config: { socketPath: '/var/run/docker.sock' },
+		});
+	} catch (e) {
+		log(`WARNING: plugin seed failed (${e.message || e}) — continuing`);
+	}
+}
+
 // Write the OAuth client creds back into /config/proxy-secrets.js so the proxy
 // (which reads that file) can use them. Only the clientId/clientSecret lines
 // are touched; the rest of the file (operator edits, comments) is preserved.
@@ -786,6 +902,15 @@ async function provisionJumpHost(token) {
 			log(`WARNING: directory seed failed (${e.message || e}) — continuing`);
 		}
 
+		// Seed default plugin instances (Docker discovery) — same warn-and-go
+		// policy; a stack without plugins is still usable.
+		try {
+			log('Seeding default plugins...');
+			await seedPlugins(token);
+		} catch (e) {
+			log(`WARNING: plugin seed failed (${e.message || e}) — continuing`);
+		}
+
 		log('Done.');
 		process.exit(0);
 	} catch (e) {

docker-compose.yml

@@ -52,12 +52,16 @@ services:
       # the UI is reachable on the LAN during setup). Set SSO_BIND=127.0.0.1 to
       # lock it to localhost once the proxy fronts it at https://<SSO_HOST>.
       - "${SSO_BIND:-0.0.0.0}:${SSO_PORT:-3001}:3001"
-      # LDAPS for EXTERNAL direct-LDAP clients (legacy apps). The proxy itself
-      # reaches LDAPS over theta-net (sso-manager:636) without this host mapping.
-      # Prefer an internal-only hostname (set CFG_LDAPS_HOST in setup.env / ldapsHost
-      # in sso-secrets.js) and do NOT forward 636 to the public internet.
-      - "${LDAPS_PORT:-636}:636"
-      # Plain LDAP (389) is NOT mapped — direct-LDAP clients should use LDAPS.
+      # LDAPS (636) + plain LDAP (389) for direct-LDAP clients AND for the stack
+      # host's OWN enrollment: setup.sh / ldap-client configure the host's sssd
+      # against ldap://localhost and ldaps://localhost, and the LDAP server is
+      # co-located on this host, so BOTH ports must be reachable from the host
+      # over loopback — not only over the docker network. Bind 0.0.0.0 (default)
+      # so LAN clients can use the host's local IP too; set LDAP_BIND and/or
+      # LDAPS_BIND=127.0.0.1 to lock either to the host only. Prefer an internal
+      # hostname (CFG_LDAPS_HOST) and do NOT forward 389/636 to the public internet.
+      - "${LDAP_BIND:-0.0.0.0}:${LDAP_PORT:-389}:389"
+      - "${LDAPS_BIND:-0.0.0.0}:${LDAPS_PORT:-636}:636"
     environment:
       # Config (LDAP, OAuth, SMTP, ...) is loaded by @simpleworkjs/conf from
       # ./config/sso-secrets.js (see volumes), then @simpleworkjs/bao-conf

docs/GROUPS.md

@@ -76,9 +76,18 @@ enumerated as LDAP members, and cannot be used as Unix groups.
 
 - The **structural delimiter is `_`**. It appears only between the fixed segments
   of a group name.
-- **Site, host, and app slugs never contain `_`.** Normalize to lowercase;
-  spaces and `_` → `-`; strip other non-`[a-z0-9-]`. A host named `Web 01` and a
-  site `Main Office` produce slugs `web-01` and `main-office`.
+- **The `S` site segment is the site resource's slug verbatim** (`site_local`),
+  NOT re-slugified (which would corrupt the delimiter: `site_local` → `site-local`).
+- **Per-resource groups are `{S}_{kind}_{name}_{level}`.** `kind` is `host` or
+  `app`; `name` is the resource's **name slug with the kind prefix stripped** — a
+  host resource `host_theta-env` has name `theta-env`, so its groups are
+  `site_local_host_theta-env_access` / `_admin`. A service (the group model's
+  `app`, docs §11) `sso-manager` gives `site_local_app_sso-manager_access`. The
+  kind segment is always present, which is what makes a resource's name
+  unambiguous even if a host and a service share a name.
+- **Within a segment, normalize to lowercase** — spaces and stray `_` → `-`; strip
+  other non-`[a-z0-9-]`. A host named `Web 01` and a site `Main Office` (resource
+  slugs `host_web-01` and `site_main-office`) yield groups `site_main-office_host_web-01_*`.
 - **Aggregate groups use the plural kind** (`hosts`, `apps`); per-resource groups
   use the singular (`host`, `app`). This makes `S_hosts_admin` unambiguous even
   if a host were named `admin` (that host would be `S_host_admin_admin`).
@@ -139,7 +148,9 @@ def effective(resource, level_or_cap, site):
     if level_or_cap in ("admin","access"):
         agg = f"{site}_{resource.kind}s_{level_or_cap}"
         if user in agg:                      return True
-    specific = f"{site}_{resource.kind}_{resource.slug}_{level_or_cap}"
+    # resource.name is the resource's name slug (kind prefix stripped); the kind
+    # is its own segment. A host `host_theta-env` has name `theta-env`, kind `host`.
+    specific = f"{site}_{resource.kind}_{resource.name}_{level_or_cap}"
     if user in specific:                     return True
     if level_or_cap == "access":             return effective(resource, "admin", site)
     if level_or_cap == "admin":              return False          # access does not imply admin
@@ -221,12 +232,12 @@ Key ideas:
 A host should import its **own** resource groups (plus any explicitly granted
 ones). Because the schema is predictable, `ldap-client` can generate the per-host
 `ldap_group_search_filter` from the enrolled host's identity, e.g. a host `web01`
-at site `main-office` imports:
+at site `main-office` (site resource slug `site_main-office`) imports:
 
 ```
-(&(objectClass=groupOfNames)(|(cn=main-office_host_web01_access)
-                               (cn=main-office_host_web01_admin)
-                               (cn=main-office_host_web01_sudo)))
+(&(objectClass=groupOfNames)(|(cn=site_main-office_host_web01_access)
+                               (cn=site_main-office_host_web01_admin)
+                               (cn=site_main-office_host_web01_sudo)))
 ```
 
 So the operator (or ldap-client) selects a small allowlist of the host's `_access`

setup.sh

@@ -292,6 +292,21 @@ dn_from_domain() {
 	echo "dc=$1" | sed 's/\./,dc=/g'
 }
 
+# Read a value from the (operator-owned) ./config/sso-secrets.js -- the source of
+# truth on re-runs, where the CFG_* first-run shell vars are not (re)derived
+# (ensure_config returns early once sso-secrets.js exists). Reads `stack.<key>`.
+# Prints empty on any failure. Usage: sso_secrets_get ldapBaseDn
+sso_secrets_get() {
+	node -e 'const c=require(process.argv[1]);const k=process.argv[2];console.log(c&&c.stack&&c.stack[k]!=null?c.stack[k]:"")' \
+		"$PWD/$CONFIG_DIR/sso-secrets.js" "$1" 2>/dev/null || true
+}
+
+# Read a top-level (non-stack) secret from sso-secrets.js, e.g. serviceAccountPass.
+sso_secrets_get_top() {
+	node -e 'const c=require(process.argv[1]);const k=process.argv[2];console.log(c&&c[k]!=null?c[k]:"")' \
+		"$PWD/$CONFIG_DIR/sso-secrets.js" "$1" 2>/dev/null || true
+}
+
 # Write ./config/sso-secrets.js from the CFG_* shell vars.
 write_sso_secrets() {
 	local dn="$CFG_BASE_DN" domain="$CFG_DOMAIN"
@@ -1257,6 +1272,45 @@ if [[ "$CFG_THETA_AGENT_ENABLE" == "1" ]] && [[ -x /usr/local/bin/theta-agent ]]
 
 	if [[ "$CFG_THETA_AGENT_LDAP_AUTH" == "1" ]]; then
 		info "  Configuring LDAP authentication for this host..."
+
+		# ldap-client/index.sh refuses to run without ./ldap.vars, which is
+		# gitignored and never shipped in the checkout (it holds a real bind
+		# password). On the agent-enrollment path we generate it from the stack's
+		# own config so the host can actually enroll; an operator-provided
+		# ldap.vars (cp ldap.vars.template ldap.vars + edit) is always kept.
+		if [[ ! -f ldap-client/ldap.vars ]]; then
+			info "  Generating ldap-client/ldap.vars from the stack config..."
+			# CFG_* first-run vars may be unset on a re-run (ensure_config returns
+			# early once sso-secrets.js exists), so fall back to reading the real
+			# values from the operator-owned sso-secrets.js. All `:-` guarded so a
+			# missing value degrades to an empty ldap.vars field, not a set -u abort.
+			ldap_base_dn="${CFG_BASE_DN:-$(sso_secrets_get ldapBaseDn)}"
+			ldap_site="${CFG_SITE_NAME:-$(sso_secrets_get siteName)}"
+			ldap_bind_pass="${CFG_SVC_PASS:-$(sso_secrets_get_top serviceAccountPass)}"
+			sso_host="${CFG_SSO_HOST:-$(sso_secrets_get ssoHost)}"
+			# The LDAP server is co-located with the stack on THIS host, so the
+			# host must reach it over the loopback / a local address -- NEVER the
+			# public domain (sso.<domain>), which cannot route back to the 389/636
+			# ports through NAT. localhost is fine because the generated sssd.conf
+			# sets ldap_tls_reqcert=never (hostname verification is off). An
+			# operator may override with CFG_LDAPS_HOST (an internal hostname/IP).
+			ldaps_host="${CFG_LDAPS_HOST:-localhost}"
+			cat > ldap-client/ldap.vars <<LDAPVARS
+export ldap_host="${ldaps_host}"
+export ldap_base_dn="${ldap_base_dn}"
+export ldap_bind_dn="cn=ldapclient,ou=people,${ldap_base_dn}"
+export ldap_bind_password="${ldap_bind_pass}"
+export sso_url="https://${sso_host}"
+export sso_token=""
+export ldap_location="${ldap_site:-local}"
+# Groups that grant SSH/access on this host (docs/GROUPS.md §8): the site's
+# all-hosts aggregate, this host's own access group, and god_admin.
+ldap_access_groups=( "site_\${ldap_location}_hosts_access" "site_\${ldap_location}_host_\$(hostname)_access" "god_admin" )
+LDAPVARS
+		else
+			info "  ldap-client/ldap.vars exists -- keeping it"
+		fi
+
 		(
 			cd ldap-client || exit 0
 			if [[ -x "index.sh" ]]; then