diff --git a/ldapuserdir/ldapuserdir.py b/ldapuserdir/ldapuserdir.py
index b8a9534..f324658 100644
--- a/ldapuserdir/ldapuserdir.py
+++ b/ldapuserdir/ldapuserdir.py
@@ -110,12 +110,14 @@ class LdapUserDir(object):
 
     @staticmethod
     def has_dn_format(name):
-        """returns true if name has the format of a distinguished name
+        """Returns true iff name has the format of a distinguished name
         """
-        # currently we are satisfied with a very primitive check
-        if ',' in name:
+        try:
+            ldap.explode_dn(name)
+        except Exception:
+            return False
+        else:
             return True
-        return False
 
     @staticmethod
     def dn_to_cn(dn):