diff --git a/core/Dockerfile b/core/Dockerfile
index cd925b8..bdc4c10 100644
--- a/core/Dockerfile
+++ b/core/Dockerfile
@@ -16,7 +16,8 @@ ENV \
     KOPANO_CORE_REPOSITORY_URL=$KOPANO_CORE_REPOSITORY_URL \
     KOPANO_CORE_VERSION=$KOPANO_CORE_VERSION \
     KOPANO_REPOSITORY_FLAGS=$KOPANO_REPOSITORY_FLAGS \
-    RELEASE_KEY_DOWNLOAD=$RELEASE_KEY_DOWNLOAD
+    RELEASE_KEY_DOWNLOAD=$RELEASE_KEY_DOWNLOAD \
+    GRAPI_BACKEND="kopano"
 
 LABEL maintainer=az@zok.xyz \
     org.label-schema.name="Kopano core container" \
diff --git a/core/start-service.sh b/core/start-service.sh
index 169faac..7e8111c 100755
--- a/core/start-service.sh
+++ b/core/start-service.sh
@@ -84,9 +84,19 @@ grapi)
 	export socket_path=/var/run/kopano/grapi
 	mkdir -p "$socket_path"
 	chown -R kapi:kopano "$socket_path"
+	# TODO there could be a case where multiple backends are desired
+	case $GRAPI_BACKEND in
+	ldap)
+		export LDAP_URI="${KCCONF_GRAPI_LDAP_URI}"
+		export LDAP_BASEDN="${KCCONF_GRAPI_LDAP_BASEDN}"
+		export LDAP_BINDDN="${KCCONF_GRAPI_LDAP_BINDDN}"
+		bindpw="$(cat "${KCCONF_GRAPI_LDAP_BINDPW_FILE}")"
+		export LDAP_BINDPW="${bindpw}"
+		;;
+	esac
 	# cleaning up env variables
 	unset "${!KCCONF_@}"
-	exec kopano-grapi serve
+	exec kopano-grapi serve --backend="$GRAPI_BACKEND"
 	;;
 kapi)
 	if [ "$KCCONF_KAPID_INSECURE" = "yes" ]; then