diff --git a/core/src/main/java/org/acegisecurity/ldap/DefaultInitialDirContextFactory.java b/core/src/main/java/org/acegisecurity/ldap/DefaultInitialDirContextFactory.java
index 7ef5eafd76..1d1c5178ab 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/org/acegisecurity/ldap/DefaultInitialDirContextFactory.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/org/acegisecurity/ldap/DefaultInitialDirContextFactory.java
@@ -106,12 +106,6 @@ public class DefaultInitialDirContextFactory implements InitialDirContextFactory
 
     //~ Constructors ===================================================================================================
 
-    /**
-     * Create an uninitialized object. You must call {@link #setProviderUrl(String)} after instantiation.
-     */
-    public DefaultInitialDirContextFactory() {
-    }
-
     /**
      * Create and initialize an instance to the LDAP url provided
      * 
@@ -128,7 +122,7 @@ public class DefaultInitialDirContextFactory implements InitialDirContextFactory
      * 
      * @param providerUrl a String of the form <code>ldap://localhost:389/base_dn<code>
      */
-    public void setProviderUrl(String providerUrl) {
+    private void setProviderUrl(String providerUrl) {
         Assert.hasLength(providerUrl, "An LDAP connection URL must be supplied.");
 
         this.providerUrl = providerUrl;
@@ -158,7 +152,7 @@ public class DefaultInitialDirContextFactory implements InitialDirContextFactory
      * 
      * @return the url
      */
-    public String getProviderUrl() {
+    private String getProviderUrl() {
         return providerUrl;
     }
 
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/org/acegisecurity/providers/ldap/LdapAuthenticationProvider.java b/core/src/main/java/org/acegisecurity/providers/ldap/LdapAuthenticationProvider.java
index 7202c17e66..2bd95280fb 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/org/acegisecurity/providers/ldap/LdapAuthenticationProvider.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/org/acegisecurity/providers/ldap/LdapAuthenticationProvider.java
@@ -123,13 +123,6 @@ public class LdapAuthenticationProvider extends AbstractUserDetailsAuthenticatio
 
     //~ Constructors ===================================================================================================
 
-    /**
-     * Create an uninitialized instance. You must call {@link #setAuthenticator(LdapAuthenticator)} and
-     * {@link #setAuthoritiesPopulator(LdapAuthoritiesPopulator)} before using.
-     */
-    public LdapAuthenticationProvider() {
-    }
-
     /**
      * Create an initialized instance to the values passed as arguments
      *
@@ -143,23 +136,21 @@ public class LdapAuthenticationProvider extends AbstractUserDetailsAuthenticatio
 
     //~ Methods ========================================================================================================
 
-    public void setAuthenticator(LdapAuthenticator authenticator) {
+    private void setAuthenticator(LdapAuthenticator authenticator) {
         Assert.notNull(authenticator, "An LdapAuthenticator must be supplied");
         this.authenticator = authenticator;
     }
 
-    protected LdapAuthenticator getAuthenticator() {
-        Assert.notNull(authenticator, "You must set the authenticator before using this instance.");
+    private LdapAuthenticator getAuthenticator() {
         return authenticator;
     }
 
-    public void setAuthoritiesPopulator(LdapAuthoritiesPopulator authoritiesPopulator) {
+    private void setAuthoritiesPopulator(LdapAuthoritiesPopulator authoritiesPopulator) {
         Assert.notNull(authoritiesPopulator, "An LdapAuthoritiesPopulator must be supplied");
         this.authoritiesPopulator = authoritiesPopulator;
     }
 
     protected LdapAuthoritiesPopulator getAuthoritiesPopulator() {
-        Assert.notNull(authoritiesPopulator, "You must set the authoritiesPopulator before using this instance.");
         return authoritiesPopulator;
     }
 
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/org/acegisecurity/providers/ldap/authenticator/AbstractLdapAuthenticator.java b/core/src/main/java/org/acegisecurity/providers/ldap/authenticator/AbstractLdapAuthenticator.java
index 8fca23fb03..d1a8aed2f2 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/org/acegisecurity/providers/ldap/authenticator/AbstractLdapAuthenticator.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/org/acegisecurity/providers/ldap/authenticator/AbstractLdapAuthenticator.java
@@ -70,13 +70,6 @@ public abstract class AbstractLdapAuthenticator implements LdapAuthenticator, In
 
     //~ Constructors ===================================================================================================
 
-    /**
-     * Create an uninitialized instance. You must call {@link #setInitialDirContextFactory(InitialDirContextFactory)}
-     * before using it.
-     */
-    public AbstractLdapAuthenticator() {
-    }
-
     /**
      * Create an initialized instance to the {@link InitialDirContextFactory} provided.
      * 
@@ -99,7 +92,7 @@ public abstract class AbstractLdapAuthenticator implements LdapAuthenticator, In
      * 
      * @param initialDirContextFactory
      */
-    public void setInitialDirContextFactory(InitialDirContextFactory initialDirContextFactory) {
+    private void setInitialDirContextFactory(InitialDirContextFactory initialDirContextFactory) {
         Assert.notNull(initialDirContextFactory, "initialDirContextFactory must not be null.");
         this.initialDirContextFactory = initialDirContextFactory;
 
@@ -110,8 +103,7 @@ public abstract class AbstractLdapAuthenticator implements LdapAuthenticator, In
         }
     }
 
-    public InitialDirContextFactory getInitialDirContextFactory() {
-        Assert.notNull(initialDirContextFactory, "You must set the initialDirContextFactory before using this instance.");
+    protected InitialDirContextFactory getInitialDirContextFactory() {
         return initialDirContextFactory;
     }
 
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/org/acegisecurity/providers/ldap/authenticator/BindAuthenticator.java b/core/src/main/java/org/acegisecurity/providers/ldap/authenticator/BindAuthenticator.java
index 8f64c6a11f..6063aecbec 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/org/acegisecurity/providers/ldap/authenticator/BindAuthenticator.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/org/acegisecurity/providers/ldap/authenticator/BindAuthenticator.java
@@ -44,14 +44,6 @@ public class BindAuthenticator extends AbstractLdapAuthenticator {
 
     //~ Constructors ===================================================================================================
 
-    /**
-     * Create an uninitialized instance. You must call {@link #setInitialDirContextFactory(InitialDirContextFactory)}
-     * before using it.
-     */
-    public BindAuthenticator() {
-        super();
-    }
-
     /**
      * Create an initialized instance to the {@link InitialDirContextFactory} provided.
      * 
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/org/acegisecurity/providers/ldap/populator/DefaultLdapAuthoritiesPopulator.java b/core/src/main/java/org/acegisecurity/providers/ldap/populator/DefaultLdapAuthoritiesPopulator.java
index 4138184d66..a6ba2b5fed 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/org/acegisecurity/providers/ldap/populator/DefaultLdapAuthoritiesPopulator.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/org/acegisecurity/providers/ldap/populator/DefaultLdapAuthoritiesPopulator.java
@@ -112,13 +112,6 @@ public class DefaultLdapAuthoritiesPopulator implements LdapAuthoritiesPopulator
 
     //~ Constructors ===================================================================================================
 
-    /**
-     * Create an uninitialized instance. You must call {@link #setInitialDirContextFactory(InitialDirContextFactory)}
-     * and {@link #setGroupSearchBase(String)} before using it.
-     */
-    public DefaultLdapAuthoritiesPopulator() {
-    }
-
     /**
      * Constructor for group search scenarios. <tt>userRoleAttributes</tt> may still be
      * set as a property.
@@ -248,7 +241,6 @@ public class DefaultLdapAuthoritiesPopulator implements LdapAuthoritiesPopulator
     }
 
     protected InitialDirContextFactory getInitialDirContextFactory() {
-        Assert.notNull(initialDirContextFactory, "You must set the initialDirContextFactory before using this instance.");
         return initialDirContextFactory;
     }
 
@@ -257,7 +249,7 @@ public class DefaultLdapAuthoritiesPopulator implements LdapAuthoritiesPopulator
      * 
      * @param initialDirContextFactory supplies the contexts used to search for user roles.
      */
-    public void setInitialDirContextFactory(InitialDirContextFactory initialDirContextFactory) {
+    private void setInitialDirContextFactory(InitialDirContextFactory initialDirContextFactory) {
         Assert.notNull(initialDirContextFactory, "InitialDirContextFactory must not be null");
         this.initialDirContextFactory = initialDirContextFactory;
 
@@ -271,7 +263,7 @@ public class DefaultLdapAuthoritiesPopulator implements LdapAuthoritiesPopulator
      * @param groupSearchBase if this is an empty string the search will be performed from the root DN of the context
      * factory.
      */
-    public void setGroupSearchBase(String groupSearchBase) {
+    private void setGroupSearchBase(String groupSearchBase) {
         Assert.notNull(groupSearchBase, "The groupSearchBase (name to search under), must not be null.");
         this.groupSearchBase = groupSearchBase;
         if (groupSearchBase.length() == 0) {
@@ -280,8 +272,7 @@ public class DefaultLdapAuthoritiesPopulator implements LdapAuthoritiesPopulator
         }
     }
 
-    protected String getGroupSearchBase() {
-        Assert.notNull(groupSearchBase, "You must set the groupSearchBase before using this instance.");
+    private String getGroupSearchBase() {
         return groupSearchBase;
     }