diff --git a/manifests/all.pp b/manifests/all.pp
index 61afe87..8ce58b1 100644
--- a/manifests/all.pp
+++ b/manifests/all.pp
@@ -133,6 +133,7 @@ class openstack::all (
   $mysql_account_security  = true,
   $mysql_bind_address      = '0.0.0.0',
   $allowed_hosts           = '%',
+  $charset                 = 'latin1',
   # Keystone
   $keystone_host           = '127.0.0.1',
   $keystone_db_user        = 'keystone',
@@ -294,6 +295,7 @@ class openstack::all (
       neutron_db_password    => $neutron_db_password,
       neutron_db_dbname      => $neutron_db_name,
       allowed_hosts          => $allowed_hosts,
+      charset                => $charset,
       enabled                => $enabled,
     }
   } else {
diff --git a/manifests/db/mysql.pp b/manifests/db/mysql.pp
index 1a45135..f3f2824 100644
--- a/manifests/db/mysql.pp
+++ b/manifests/db/mysql.pp
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@
 # [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'.
 # [enabled] If the db service should be started. Optional. Defaults to true.
 #
 # === Example
@@ -85,6 +86,7 @@ class openstack::db::mysql (
     $ceilometer_db_dbname   = 'ceilometer',
     # General
     $allowed_hosts          = false,
+    $charset                = 'latin1',
     $enabled                = true
 ) {
 
@@ -109,6 +111,7 @@ class openstack::db::mysql (
       password      => $keystone_db_password,
       dbname        => $keystone_db_dbname,
       allowed_hosts => $allowed_hosts,
+      charset       => $charset,
     }
 
     # Create the Glance db
@@ -117,6 +120,7 @@ class openstack::db::mysql (
       password      => $glance_db_password,
       dbname        => $glance_db_dbname,
       allowed_hosts => $allowed_hosts,
+      charset       => $charset,
     }
 
     # Create the Nova db
@@ -125,6 +129,7 @@ class openstack::db::mysql (
       password      => $nova_db_password,
       dbname        => $nova_db_dbname,
       allowed_hosts => $allowed_hosts,
+      charset       => $charset,
     }
 
     # create cinder db
@@ -134,6 +139,7 @@ class openstack::db::mysql (
         password      => $cinder_db_password,
         dbname        => $cinder_db_dbname,
         allowed_hosts => $allowed_hosts,
+        charset       => $charset,
       }
     }
 
@@ -144,6 +150,7 @@ class openstack::db::mysql (
         password      => $neutron_db_password,
         dbname        => $neutron_db_dbname,
         allowed_hosts => $allowed_hosts,
+        charset       => $charset,
       }
     }
 
@@ -153,6 +160,7 @@ class openstack::db::mysql (
         password      => $ceilometer_db_password,
         dbname        => $ceilometer_db_dbname,
         allowed_hosts => $allowed_hosts,
+        charset       => $charset,
       }
     }
   }
diff --git a/spec/classes/openstack_all_spec.rb b/spec/classes/openstack_all_spec.rb
index f3740f8..3890546 100644
--- a/spec/classes/openstack_all_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/classes/openstack_all_spec.rb
@@ -295,6 +295,7 @@ describe 'openstack::all' do
 
     it 'should have openstack::db::mysql configured' do
       should contain_class('openstack::db::mysql').with(
+        :charset                => 'latin1',
         :mysql_root_password    => 'sql_pass',
         :mysql_bind_address     => '0.0.0.0',
         :mysql_account_security => true,