diff --git a/manifests/all.pp b/manifests/all.pp
index 8ce58b1..acbe1cb 100644
--- a/manifests/all.pp
+++ b/manifests/all.pp
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ class openstack::all (
   $mysql_account_security  = true,
   $mysql_bind_address      = '0.0.0.0',
   $allowed_hosts           = '%',
-  $charset                 = 'latin1',
+  $charset                 = 'utf8',
   # Keystone
   $keystone_host           = '127.0.0.1',
   $keystone_db_user        = 'keystone',
diff --git a/manifests/db/mysql.pp b/manifests/db/mysql.pp
index 7a65607..4f212f7 100644
--- a/manifests/db/mysql.pp
+++ b/manifests/db/mysql.pp
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@
 # [ceilometer_db_user]. Name of ceilometer DB user. Optional. Defaults to 'ceilometer'.
 # [ceilometer_db_dbname]. Name of ceilometer DB. Optional. Defaults to 'ceilometer'.
 # [allowed_hosts] List of hosts that are allowed access. Optional. Defaults to false.
-# [charset] Name of mysql charset. Optional. Defaults to 'latin1'.
+# [charset] Name of mysql charset. Optional. Defaults to 'utf8'.
 # [enabled] If the db service should be started. Optional. Defaults to true.
 #
 # === Example
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ class openstack::db::mysql (
     $ceilometer_db_dbname   = 'ceilometer',
     # General
     $allowed_hosts          = false,
-    $charset                = 'latin1',
+    $charset                = 'utf8',
     $enabled                = true
 ) {
 
diff --git a/spec/classes/openstack_all_spec.rb b/spec/classes/openstack_all_spec.rb
index 3890546..0b206e3 100644
--- a/spec/classes/openstack_all_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/classes/openstack_all_spec.rb
@@ -295,7 +295,7 @@ describe 'openstack::all' do
 
     it 'should have openstack::db::mysql configured' do
       should contain_class('openstack::db::mysql').with(
-        :charset                => 'latin1',
+        :charset                => 'utf8',
         :mysql_root_password    => 'sql_pass',
         :mysql_bind_address     => '0.0.0.0',
         :mysql_account_security => true,