diff --git a/config.sample.php b/config.sample.php
index 12152c8..717c35e 100644
--- a/config.sample.php
+++ b/config.sample.php
@@ -11,7 +11,13 @@ $config = [
     "webroot" => "https://myregisterdomain.net/",
     // optional: Do you have a place where howTo's are located? If not leave this value out
     "howToURL" => "https://my-url-for-storing-howTos.net",
+    // set the mode of operation. Basically this defines where the data is stored:
+    // - synapse (using the register endpoint - so no further auth config necessary
+    // - local (recommended; using a table in the database to store credentials;
+    //   synapse has to be configured to use that)
+    "operationMode" => "local",
     // When you want to collect the password on registration set this to true
+    // only evaluated when operationMode = local
     "getPasswordOnRegistration" => false,
     // to define where the data should be stored:
     "databaseURI" => "sqlite:" . dirname(__FILE__) . "/db_file.sqlite",
diff --git a/database.php b/database.php
index d654c66..fef634c 100644
--- a/database.php
+++ b/database.php
@@ -241,7 +241,7 @@ class mxDatabase {
         $res = $this->db->query($sql);
 
         if ($res->fetchColumn() > 0) {
-            $sql = "SELECT first_name, last_name, note, email, admin_token FROM registrations "
+            $sql = "SELECT first_name, last_name, note, email, username, admin_token FROM registrations "
                     . " WHERE verify_token = '" . $verify_token . "'"
                     . " AND state = " . RegisterState::PendingEmailVerify . " LIMIT 1;";
             foreach ($this->db->query($sql) as $row) {
diff --git a/internal/directory_search.php b/internal/directory_search.php
index d6419cd..2149a82 100644
--- a/internal/directory_search.php
+++ b/internal/directory_search.php
@@ -46,5 +46,5 @@ try {
     error_log("failed with error: " . $e->getMessage());
     $response["error"] = $e->getMessage();
 }
-print (json_encode($response, JSON_PRETTY_PRINT) . "\n");
+print (json_encode($response, JSON_PRETTY_PRINT));
 ?>
diff --git a/internal/identity_bulk.php b/internal/identity_bulk.php
index 120871e..8c87e12 100644
--- a/internal/identity_bulk.php
+++ b/internal/identity_bulk.php
@@ -66,5 +66,5 @@ try {
     error_log("ídentity_bulk failed with error: " . $e->getMessage());
     $response["error"] = $e->getMessage();
 }
-print (json_encode($response, JSON_PRETTY_PRINT) . "\n");
+print (json_encode($response, JSON_PRETTY_PRINT));
 ?>
diff --git a/internal/identity_single.php b/internal/identity_single.php
index 8a317d9..fde3dd8 100644
--- a/internal/identity_single.php
+++ b/internal/identity_single.php
@@ -61,5 +61,5 @@ try {
         "error" => $e->getMessage()
     ];
 }
-print (json_encode($response, JSON_PRETTY_PRINT) . "\n");
+print (json_encode($response, JSON_PRETTY_PRINT));
 ?>
diff --git a/internal/login.php b/internal/login.php
index 57d7685..9f44dbe 100644
--- a/internal/login.php
+++ b/internal/login.php
@@ -108,5 +108,5 @@ try {
     error_log("Auth failed with error: " . $e->getMessage());
     $response["auth"]["error"] = $e->getMessage();
 }
-print (json_encode($response, JSON_PRETTY_PRINT) . "\n");
+print (json_encode($response, JSON_PRETTY_PRINT));
 ?>
diff --git a/public/index.php b/public/index.php
index 735a24e..ede9a46 100644
--- a/public/index.php
+++ b/public/index.php
@@ -13,12 +13,6 @@
  * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
  * limitations under the License.
  */
-require_once "../language.php";
-if (!file_exists("../config.php")) {
-	print($language["NO_CONFIGURATION"]);
-	exit();
-}
-require_once "../config.php";
 
 // enforce admin via https
 if (!isset($_SERVER['HTTPS'])) {
@@ -26,6 +20,25 @@ if (!isset($_SERVER['HTTPS'])) {
 	exit();
 }
 
+require_once "../language.php";
+if (!file_exists("../config.php")) {
+	print($language["NO_CONFIGURATION"]);
+	exit();
+}
+require_once "../config.php";
+
+// this values will not be used when using the register operation type
+$storeFirstLastName = false;
+if (isset($config["operationMode"]) && $config["operationMode"] === "local") {
+    $storeFirstLastName = true;
+}
+
+// currently the case to store the password on our own is the only supported one
+$storePassword = false;
+if (isset($config["getPasswordOnRegistration"]) && $config["getPasswordOnRegistration"] &&
+         isset($config["operationMode"]) && $config["operationMode"] === "synapse") {
+    $storePassword = true;
+}
 session_start();
 
 if ($_SERVER["REQUEST_METHOD"] == "POST") {
@@ -53,17 +66,22 @@ if ($_SERVER["REQUEST_METHOD"] == "POST") {
 		if (!isset($_POST["email"]) || !filter_var($_POST["email"], FILTER_VALIDATE_EMAIL)) {
 			throw new Exception("EMAIL_INVALID_FORMAT");
 		}
-		if (isset($_POST["first_name"]) && ! preg_match("/[A-Z][a-z]+/", $_POST["first_name"])) {
-			throw new Exception("FIRSTNAME_INVALID_FORMAT");
-		}
-		if (isset($_POST["last_name"]) && ! preg_match("/[A-Z][a-z]+/", $_POST["last_name"])) {
-			throw new Exception("SIRNAME_INVALID_FORMAT");
-		}
+                if ($storeFirstLastName) {
+                    // only require first_name and last_name when we will evaluate them
+                    if (!isset($_POST["first_name"]) || ! preg_match("/[A-Z][a-z]+/", $_POST["first_name"])) {
+                            throw new Exception("FIRSTNAME_INVALID_FORMAT");
+                    }
+                    if (!isset($_POST["last_name"]) || ! preg_match("/[A-Z][a-z]+/", $_POST["last_name"])) {
+                            throw new Exception("SIRNAME_INVALID_FORMAT");
+                    }
+                    $first_name = filter_var($_POST["first_name"], FILTER_SANITIZE_STRING);
+                    $last_name = filter_var($_POST["last_name"], FILTER_SANITIZE_STRING);
+                } else {
+                    $first_name = $last_name = "";
+                }
 
-		$first_name = filter_var($_POST["first_name"], FILTER_SANITIZE_STRING);
-		$last_name = filter_var($_POST["last_name"], FILTER_SANITIZE_STRING);
 		$username = filter_var($_POST["username"], FILTER_SANITIZE_STRING);
-		if (isset($_POST["password"])) {
+		if ($storePassword && isset($_POST["password"])) {
 			$password  = filter_var($_POST["password"], FILTER_SANITIZE_STRING);
 		}
 		$note   = filter_var($_POST["note"], FILTER_SANITIZE_STRING);
@@ -82,7 +100,7 @@ if ($_SERVER["REQUEST_METHOD"] == "POST") {
 		require_once "../mail_templates.php";
 		$success = send_mail_pending_verification(
 			$config["homeserver"],
-			$first_name . " " . $last_name,
+			$storeFirstLastName ? $first_name . " " . $last_name : $username,
 			$email,
 			$verify_url);
 
@@ -137,6 +155,7 @@ body{
 						</div>
 						<div class="panel-body">
 							<form name="regForm" role="form" action="index.php" method="post">
+                                                            <?php if ($storeFirstLastName) { ?>
 								<div class="row">
 									<div class="col-xs-6 col-sm-6 col-md-6">
 										<div class="form-group">
@@ -151,6 +170,7 @@ body{
 										</div>
 									</div>
 								</div>
+                                                            <?php } ?>
 
 								<div class="form-group">
 									<input type="email" name="email" id="email" class="form-control input-sm" placeholder="E-Mail-Adresse" required>
@@ -164,7 +184,7 @@ body{
 									<input type="text" name="username" id="username" class="form-control input-sm"
 										placeholder="Nutzername (für den Login)" pattern="[a-z1-9]{3,20}" required>
 								</div>
-<?php if (isset($config["getPasswordOnRegistration"]) && $config["getPasswordOnRegistration"]) { ?>
+                                                            <?php if ($storePassword) { ?>
 								<div class="row">
 									<div class="col-xs-6 col-sm-6 col-md-6">
 										<div class="form-group">
@@ -177,7 +197,7 @@ body{
 										</div>
 									</div>
 								</div>
-<?php } ?>
+                                                            <?php } ?>
 								<input type="hidden" name="token" id="token" value="<?php echo $_SESSION["token"]; ?>">
 								<input type="submit" value="Registrieren" class="btn btn-info btn-block">
 
@@ -194,6 +214,14 @@ body{
 			</div>
 		</div>
  <script type="text/javascript">
+	var user_name = document.getElementById("username");
+	user_name.oninvalid = function(event) {
+		event.target.setCustomValidity("Nutzername darf zwischen 3 und 20 kleine Buchstaben und Zahlen enthalten");
+	}
+	user_name.onkeyup = function (event) {
+		event.target.setCustomValidity("");
+	}
+<?php if ($storeFirstLastName) { ?>
  var first_name = document.getElementById("first_name");
 	first_name.oninvalid = function(event) {
 		event.target.setCustomValidity("Vorname muss das Format <Großbuchstabe><Kleinbuchstaben> haben");
@@ -208,14 +236,7 @@ body{
 	last_name.onkeyup = function(event) {
 		event.target.setCustomValidity("");
 	}
-	var user_name = document.getElementById("username");
-	user_name.oninvalid = function(event) {
-		event.target.setCustomValidity("Nutzername darf zwischen 3 und 20 kleine Buchstaben und Zahlen enthalten");
-	}
-	user_name.onkeyup = function (event) {
-		event.target.setCustomValidity("");
-	}
-<?php	if (isset($config["getPasswordOnRegistration"]) && $config["getPasswordOnRegistration"]) { ?>
+<?php } if ($storePassword) { ?>
 	var password = document.getElementById("password")
 		, confirm_password = document.getElementById("password_confirm");
 	function validatePassword(){
@@ -227,8 +248,7 @@ body{
 	}
 	password.onchange = validatePassword;
 	confirm_password.onkeyup = validatePassword;
-<?php	} ?>
+<?php } ?>
 </script>
-		<?php } ?>
-	</body>
-</html>
+<?php } ?>
+</body></html>
diff --git a/public/verify.php b/public/verify.php
index b426dc8..b46b900 100644
--- a/public/verify.php
+++ b/public/verify.php
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ try {
 	}
 	$first_name = $user["first_name"];
 	$last_name = $user["last_name"];
+	$username = $user["username"];
 	$note = $user["note"];
 	$email = $user["email"];
 	$admin_token = $user["admin_token"];
@@ -54,10 +55,12 @@ try {
 	$adminUrl = $config["webroot"] . "/verify_admin.php?t=" . $admin_token;
 	$mxConn = new MatrixConnection($config["homeserver"], $config["access_token"]);
 	$mxMsg = new MatrixMessage();
-	$mxMsg->set_body($first_name . ' ' . $last_name . "möchte sich registrieren und hat folgende Notiz hinterlassen:\r\n"
+	$mxMsg->set_body((strlen($first_name . $last_name) > 0 ? $first_name . " " . $last_name : $username)
+		. " möchte sich registrieren und hat folgende Notiz hinterlassen:\r\n"
 		. $note . "\r\n"
 		. "Zum Bearbeiten hier klicken:\r\n" . $adminUrl);
-	$mxMsg->set_formatted_body($first_name . ' ' . $last_name . " möchte sich registrieren und hat folgende Notiz hinterlassen:<br />"
+	$mxMsg->set_formatted_body((strlen($first_name . $last_name) > 0 ? $first_name . " " . $last_name : $username)
+		. " möchte sich registrieren und hat folgende Notiz hinterlassen:<br />"
 		. $note . "<br />"
 		. "Zum Bearbeiten <a href=\"". $adminUrl . "\">hier</a> klicken");
 	$mxMsg->set_type("m.text");
diff --git a/public/verify_admin.php b/public/verify_admin.php
index 00ecbd5..6235ed7 100644
--- a/public/verify_admin.php
+++ b/public/verify_admin.php
@@ -95,7 +95,12 @@ try {
 		print("<p>" . $language["ADMIN_REGISTER_ACCEPTED_BODY"] . "</p>");
 	} elseif ($action == RegisterState::RegistrationDeclined) {
 		$mx_db->setRegistrationStateAdmin(RegisterState::RegistrationDeclined, $token);
-		send_mail_registration_decline($config["homeserver"], $first_name . " " . $last_name, $email, $decline_reason);
+		send_mail_registration_decline(
+			$config["homeserver"],
+			strlen($first_name . $last_name) > 0 ? $first_name . " " . $last_name : $username,
+			$email,
+			$decline_reason
+		);
 		print("<title>" . $language["ADMIN_VERIFY_SITE_TITLE"] . "</title>");
 		print("</head><body>");
 		print("<h1>" . $language["ADMIN_VERIFY_SITE_TITLE"] . "</h1>");
@@ -131,6 +136,8 @@ background: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);
 			</div>
 			<div class="panel-body">
 			<form name="appForm" role="form" action="verify_admin.php" method="GET">
+                        <?php if (isset($config["operationMode"]) && $config["operationMode"] === "local") {
+                            // this values will not be used when using the register operation type ?>
 			<div class="row">
 			<div class="col-xs-6 col-sm-6 col-md-6">
 			<div class="form-group">
@@ -145,7 +152,7 @@ background: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);
 			</div>
 			</div>
 			</div>
-
+                        <?php } ?>
 			<div class="form-group">
 			<input type="text" id="note" class="form-control input-sm" value="<?php echo $note; ?>" disabled=true>
 			</div>