diff --git a/ldapserver/ldap_functions.py b/ldapserver/ldap_functions.py
index b34ff9d..a34eea6 100644
--- a/ldapserver/ldap_functions.py
+++ b/ldapserver/ldap_functions.py
@@ -5,81 +5,97 @@ import secrets
 import base64
 
 from flask import abort
+
 HTTP_NOTFOUND = 404
+#BASE_MEMBERS = 'OU=Test,OU=GroupsOU,DC=ps,DC=protospace,DC=ca' # testing
+BASE_MEMBERS = 'OU=MembersOU,DC=ps,DC=protospace,DC=ca' # prod
 
 ldap.set_option(ldap.OPT_X_TLS_REQUIRE_CERT, ldap.OPT_X_TLS_NEVER)
 ldap.set_option(ldap.OPT_X_TLS_CACERTFILE, './ProtospaceAD.cer')
-l = ldap.initialize('ldaps://ldap.ps.protospace.ca:636')
-l.set_option(ldap.OPT_REFERRALS, 0)
-l.set_option(ldap.OPT_PROTOCOL_VERSION, 3)
-l.set_option(ldap.OPT_X_TLS,ldap.OPT_X_TLS_DEMAND)
-l.set_option(ldap.OPT_X_TLS_DEMAND, True)
-l.set_option(ldap.OPT_DEBUG_LEVEL, 255)
 
-BASE_MEMBERS = 'OU=Test,OU=GroupsOU,DC=ps,DC=protospace,DC=ca' # testing
-#BASE_MEMBERS = 'OU=MembersOU,DC=ps,DC=protospace,DC=ca' # prod
+def init_ldap():
+    ldap_conn = ldap.initialize('ldaps://ldap.ps.protospace.ca:636')
+    ldap_conn.set_option(ldap.OPT_REFERRALS, 0)
+    ldap_conn.set_option(ldap.OPT_PROTOCOL_VERSION, 3)
+    ldap_conn.set_option(ldap.OPT_X_TLS,ldap.OPT_X_TLS_DEMAND)
+    ldap_conn.set_option(ldap.OPT_X_TLS_DEMAND, True)
+    ldap_conn.set_option(ldap.OPT_DEBUG_LEVEL, 255)
+
+    return ldap_conn
 
 def find_user(username):
     '''
     Search for a user by sAMAccountname
     '''
-    l.simple_bind_s(secrets.LDAP_USERNAME, secrets.LDAP_PASSWORD)
-    criteria = '(&(objectClass=user)(sAMAccountName={})(!(objectClass=computer)))'.format(username)
-    results = l.search_s(BASE_MEMBERS, ldap.SCOPE_SUBTREE, criteria, ['displayName','sAMAccountName','email'] )
+    ldap_conn = init_ldap()
+    try:
+        ldap_conn.simple_bind_s(secrets.LDAP_USERNAME, secrets.LDAP_PASSWORD)
+        criteria = '(&(objectClass=user)(sAMAccountName={})(!(objectClass=computer)))'.format(username)
+        results = ldap_conn.search_s(BASE_MEMBERS, ldap.SCOPE_SUBTREE, criteria, ['displayName','sAMAccountName','email'] )
 
-    if len(results) != 1:
-        abort(HTTP_NOTFOUND)
+        if len(results) != 1:
+            abort(HTTP_NOTFOUND)
 
-    return results[0][0]
+        return results[0][0]
+    finally:
+        ldap_conn.unbind()
 
 def create_user(first, last, username, email, password):
     '''
     Create a User;  required data is first, last, email, username, password
     Note: this creates a disabled user, then sets a password, then enables the user
     '''
-    l.simple_bind_s(secrets.LDAP_USERNAME, secrets.LDAP_PASSWORD)
-    dn = 'CN={} {},{}'.format(first, last, BASE_MEMBERS)
-    full_name = '{} {}'.format(first, last)
+    ldap_conn = init_ldap()
+    try:
+        ldap_conn.simple_bind_s(secrets.LDAP_USERNAME, secrets.LDAP_PASSWORD)
+        dn = 'CN={} {},{}'.format(first, last, BASE_MEMBERS)
+        full_name = '{} {}'.format(first, last)
 
-    ldif = [
-        ('objectClass', [b'top', b'person', b'organizationalPerson', b'user']),
-        ('cn', [full_name.encode()]),
-        ('userPrincipalName', [username.encode()]),
-        ('sAMAccountName', [username.encode()]),
-        ('givenName', [first.encode()]),
-        ('sn', [last.encode()]),
-        ('DisplayName', [full_name.encode()]),
-        ('userAccountControl', [b'514']),
-        ('mail', [email.encode()]),
-    ]
+        ldif = [
+            ('objectClass', [b'top', b'person', b'organizationalPerson', b'user']),
+            ('cn', [full_name.encode()]),
+            ('userPrincipalName', [username.encode()]),
+            ('sAMAccountName', [username.encode()]),
+            ('givenName', [first.encode()]),
+            ('sn', [last.encode()]),
+            ('DisplayName', [full_name.encode()]),
+            ('userAccountControl', [b'514']),
+            ('mail', [email.encode()]),
+        ]
 
-    l.add_s(dn, ldif)
+        ldap_conn.add_s(dn, ldif)
 
-    # set password
-    pass_quotes = '"{}"'.format(password)
-    pass_uni = pass_quotes.encode('utf-16-le')
-    change_des = [(ldap.MOD_REPLACE, 'unicodePwd', [pass_uni])]
-    result = l.modify_s(dn, change_des)
+        # set password
+        pass_quotes = '"{}"'.format(password)
+        pass_uni = pass_quotes.encode('utf-16-le')
+        change_des = [(ldap.MOD_REPLACE, 'unicodePwd', [pass_uni])]
+        result = ldap_conn.modify_s(dn, change_des)
 
-    # 512 will set user account to enabled
-    mod_acct = [(ldap.MOD_REPLACE, 'userAccountControl', b'512')]
-    result = l.modify_s(dn, mod_acct)
+        # 512 will set user account to enabled
+        mod_acct = [(ldap.MOD_REPLACE, 'userAccountControl', b'512')]
+        result = ldap_conn.modify_s(dn, mod_acct)
+    finally:
+        ldap_conn.unbind()
 
 def set_password(username, password):
-    l.simple_bind_s(secrets.LDAP_USERNAME, secrets.LDAP_PASSWORD)
-    criteria = '(&(objectClass=user)(sAMAccountName={})(!(objectClass=computer)))'.format(username)
-    results = l.search_s(BASE_MEMBERS, ldap.SCOPE_SUBTREE, criteria, ['displayName','sAMAccountName','email'] )
+    ldap_conn = init_ldap()
+    try:
+        ldap_conn.simple_bind_s(secrets.LDAP_USERNAME, secrets.LDAP_PASSWORD)
+        criteria = '(&(objectClass=user)(sAMAccountName={})(!(objectClass=computer)))'.format(username)
+        results = ldap_conn.search_s(BASE_MEMBERS, ldap.SCOPE_SUBTREE, criteria, ['displayName','sAMAccountName','email'] )
 
-    if len(results) != 1:
-        abort(HTTP_NOTFOUND)
+        if len(results) != 1:
+            abort(HTTP_NOTFOUND)
 
-    dn = results[0][0]
+        dn = results[0][0]
 
-    # set password
-    pass_quotes = '"{}"'.format(password)
-    pass_uni = pass_quotes.encode('utf-16-le')
-    change_des = [(ldap.MOD_REPLACE, 'unicodePwd', [pass_uni])]
-    result = l.modify_s(dn, change_des)
+        # set password
+        pass_quotes = '"{}"'.format(password)
+        pass_uni = pass_quotes.encode('utf-16-le')
+        change_des = [(ldap.MOD_REPLACE, 'unicodePwd', [pass_uni])]
+        result = ldap_conn.modify_s(dn, change_des)
+    finally:
+        ldap_conn.unbind()
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
     #print(find_user('tanner.collin'))