diff --git a/ironic_inspector/db.py b/ironic_inspector/db.py
index ff4a56830..0af56b01a 100644
--- a/ironic_inspector/db.py
+++ b/ironic_inspector/db.py
@@ -28,7 +28,12 @@ from sqlalchemy.ext.declarative import declarative_base
 from sqlalchemy import orm
 
 
-Base = declarative_base(cls=models.ModelBase)
+class ModelBase(models.ModelBase):
+    __table_args__ = {'mysql_engine': "InnoDB",
+                      'mysql_charset': "utf8"}
+
+
+Base = declarative_base(cls=ModelBase)
 CONF = cfg.CONF
 
 _FACADE = None
diff --git a/ironic_inspector/migrations/versions/578f84f38d_inital_db_schema.py b/ironic_inspector/migrations/versions/578f84f38d_inital_db_schema.py
index caf132d79..b0fa92ebb 100644
--- a/ironic_inspector/migrations/versions/578f84f38d_inital_db_schema.py
+++ b/ironic_inspector/migrations/versions/578f84f38d_inital_db_schema.py
@@ -38,14 +38,18 @@ def upgrade():
         sa.Column('uuid', sa.String(36), primary_key=True),
         sa.Column('started_at', sa.Float, nullable=True),
         sa.Column('finished_at', sa.Float, nullable=True),
-        sa.Column('error', sa.Text, nullable=True)
+        sa.Column('error', sa.Text, nullable=True),
+        mysql_ENGINE='InnoDB',
+        mysql_DEFAULT_CHARSET='UTF8'
     )
 
     op.create_table(
         'attributes',
         sa.Column('name', sa.String(255), primary_key=True),
         sa.Column('value', sa.String(255), primary_key=True),
-        sa.Column('uuid', sa.String(36), sa.ForeignKey('nodes.uuid'))
+        sa.Column('uuid', sa.String(36), sa.ForeignKey('nodes.uuid')),
+        mysql_ENGINE='InnoDB',
+        mysql_DEFAULT_CHARSET='UTF8'
     )
 
     op.create_table(
@@ -53,7 +57,9 @@ def upgrade():
         sa.Column('uuid', sa.String(36), sa.ForeignKey('nodes.uuid'),
                   primary_key=True),
         sa.Column('name', sa.String(255), primary_key=True),
-        sa.Column('value', sa.Text)
+        sa.Column('value', sa.Text),
+        mysql_ENGINE='InnoDB',
+        mysql_DEFAULT_CHARSET='UTF8'
     )
 
 
diff --git a/ironic_inspector/migrations/versions/d588418040d_add_rules.py b/ironic_inspector/migrations/versions/d588418040d_add_rules.py
index 4b93cdd71..00ede8a5a 100644
--- a/ironic_inspector/migrations/versions/d588418040d_add_rules.py
+++ b/ironic_inspector/migrations/versions/d588418040d_add_rules.py
@@ -37,6 +37,8 @@ def upgrade():
         sa.Column('created_at', sa.DateTime, nullable=False),
         sa.Column('description', sa.Text),
         sa.Column('disabled', sa.Boolean, default=False),
+        mysql_ENGINE='InnoDB',
+        mysql_DEFAULT_CHARSET='UTF8'
     )
 
     op.create_table(
@@ -46,7 +48,9 @@ def upgrade():
         sa.Column('op', sa.String(255), nullable=False),
         sa.Column('multiple', sa.String(255), nullable=False),
         sa.Column('field', sa.Text),
-        sa.Column('params', types.JsonEncodedDict)
+        sa.Column('params', types.JsonEncodedDict),
+        mysql_ENGINE='InnoDB',
+        mysql_DEFAULT_CHARSET='UTF8'
     )
 
     op.create_table(
@@ -54,7 +58,9 @@ def upgrade():
         sa.Column('id', sa.Integer, primary_key=True),
         sa.Column('rule', sa.String(36), sa.ForeignKey('rules.uuid')),
         sa.Column('action', sa.String(255), nullable=False),
-        sa.Column('params', types.JsonEncodedDict)
+        sa.Column('params', types.JsonEncodedDict),
+        mysql_ENGINE='InnoDB',
+        mysql_DEFAULT_CHARSET='UTF8'
     )