diff --git a/storyboard/db/migration/alembic_migrations/versions/062_convert_to_charset_utf8mb4.py b/storyboard/db/migration/alembic_migrations/versions/062_convert_to_charset_utf8mb4.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..9b03dfa2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/storyboard/db/migration/alembic_migrations/versions/062_convert_to_charset_utf8mb4.py
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License"); you may
+# not use this file except in compliance with the License. You may obtain
+# a copy of the License at
+#
+#      http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT
+# WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied. See the
+# License for the specific language governing permissions and limitations
+# under the License.
+#
+
+"""convert to charset utf8mb4
+
+Revision ID: 062
+Revises: 061
+Create Date: 2018-03-23 14:34:55.656531
+
+"""
+
+# revision identifiers, used by Alembic.
+revision = '062'
+down_revision = '061'
+
+
+from alembic import op
+from sqlalchemy import inspect
+
+
+def upgrade(active_plugins=None, options=None):
+    dialect = op.get_bind().engine.dialect
+    if dialect.name == 'mysql' and dialect.supports_alter:
+        for table in inspect(op.get_bind()).get_table_names():
+            op.execute('ALTER TABLE %s CONVERT TO CHARACTER SET utf8mb4' %
+                       table)
+
+
+def downgrade(active_plugins=None, options=None):
+    dialect = op.get_bind().engine.dialect
+    if dialect.name == 'mysql' and dialect.supports_alter:
+        for table in inspect(op.get_bind()).get_table_names():
+            op.execute('ALTER TABLE %s CONVERT TO CHARACTER SET utf8' %
+                       table)
diff --git a/storyboard/db/models.py b/storyboard/db/models.py
index 385483fb..bff956ae 100644
--- a/storyboard/db/models.py
+++ b/storyboard/db/models.py
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ def table_args():
     engine_name = urlparse.urlparse(cfg.CONF.database_connection).scheme
     if engine_name == 'mysql':
         return {'mysql_engine': cfg.CONF.mysql_engine,
-                'mysql_charset': "utf8"}
+                'mysql_charset': "utf8mb4"}
     return None
 
 # # CUSTOM TYPES