diff --git a/conda-environment-dev.yml b/conda-environment-dev.yml
index c3d2864e9d..a3746ed2af 100644
--- a/conda-environment-dev.yml
+++ b/conda-environment-dev.yml
@@ -2,24 +2,28 @@
 ---
 
 name: mxcubecore
+
 channels:
   - conda-forge
+
 dependencies:
 
-  ### Runtime dependencies
+  # Runtime dependencies
+  # ====================
 
   - python >=3.8,<3.12
 
-  # We install `python-ldap` from conda because it is "hard" to install.
-  # On PyPI it is not available as *wheel*, only as *sdist* which requires to be built
-  # with compilation steps that require a compiler and some header files.
-  # Installing with conda is much "easier".
-  #
-  # IMPORTANT:
-  # Always make sure that `python-ldap` here is pinned to the same version
-  # as in the Poetry lockfile `poetry.lock` (not the other way around).
-  - python-ldap=3.4.3
-
-  ### Development dependencies
+  # `openldap` is necessary for `python-ldap` but can not be installed by pip or Poetry.
+  # Note also that on PyPI `python-ldap` is only available as *sdist*, not as *wheel*,
+  # and that installing it requires a compilation step.
+  # The `openldap` Conda package should provide enough for this compilation step
+  # (header files and things like this), but the C compiler itself.
+  # Make sure that a C compiler is available on the system,
+  # as it is NOT provided as a dependency in this Conda environment file.
+  - openldap
+
+
+  # Development dependencies
+  # ========================
 
   - poetry