diff --git a/manifests/db/mysql.pp b/manifests/db/mysql.pp
index 7294c89..a965a96 100644
--- a/manifests/db/mysql.pp
+++ b/manifests/db/mysql.pp
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ class keystone::db::mysql(
   $dbname        = 'keystone',
   $user          = 'keystone',
   $host          = '127.0.0.1',
-  $charset       = 'latin1',
+  $charset       = 'utf8',
   $allowed_hosts = undef
 ) {
 
diff --git a/spec/classes/keystone_db_mysql_spec.rb b/spec/classes/keystone_db_mysql_spec.rb
index 6422f3f..585b54c 100644
--- a/spec/classes/keystone_db_mysql_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/classes/keystone_db_mysql_spec.rb
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ describe 'keystone::db::mysql' do
       'password'      => 'keystone_default_password',
       'dbname'        => 'keystone',
       'user'          => 'keystone',
-      'charset'       => 'latin1',
+      'charset'       => 'utf8',
       'host'          => '127.0.0.1',
       'allowed_hosts' => ['127.0.0.%', '192.168.1.%']
     }