diff --git a/lib/authentication/Authenticator.inc b/lib/authentication/Authenticator.inc
index 61cc454..2e393b2 100644
--- a/lib/authentication/Authenticator.inc
+++ b/lib/authentication/Authenticator.inc
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ class Authenticator {
         $aUserDetails = array();
 
         // retrieve the userID
-        $iUserID = lookupID($default->owl_users_table, "username", "$sUserName");
+        $iUserID = lookupID($default->owl_users_table, "BINARY username", "$sUserName");
         if ($iUserID) {
             $oUser = & User::get($iUserID);