diff --git a/manifests/aodh.pp b/manifests/aodh.pp
index c8f07785e..296e0f979 100644
--- a/manifests/aodh.pp
+++ b/manifests/aodh.pp
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@ class openstack_integration::aodh (
     notification_driver        => 'messagingv2',
   }
   class { 'aodh::db::mysql':
+    charset  => $::openstack_integration::params::mysql_charset,
     password => 'aodh',
   }
   class { 'aodh::keystone::auth':
diff --git a/manifests/barbican.pp b/manifests/barbican.pp
index 953165d99..5f5e8d77c 100644
--- a/manifests/barbican.pp
+++ b/manifests/barbican.pp
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ class openstack_integration::barbican {
 
   include barbican
   class { 'barbican::db::mysql':
+    charset  => $::openstack_integration::params::mysql_charset,
     password => 'barbican',
   }
   class { 'barbican::db':
diff --git a/manifests/cinder.pp b/manifests/cinder.pp
index 619b005c0..89308b6a5 100644
--- a/manifests/cinder.pp
+++ b/manifests/cinder.pp
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ class openstack_integration::cinder (
   }
   include cinder::client
   class { 'cinder::db::mysql':
+    charset  => $::openstack_integration::params::mysql_charset,
     password => 'cinder',
   }
   class { 'cinder::keystone::auth':
diff --git a/manifests/designate.pp b/manifests/designate.pp
index d69375224..6f76881b9 100644
--- a/manifests/designate.pp
+++ b/manifests/designate.pp
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ class openstack_integration::designate {
   }
 
   class { 'designate::db::mysql':
+    charset  => $::openstack_integration::params::mysql_charset,
     password => 'designate',
   }
   class { 'designate::logging':
diff --git a/manifests/ec2api.pp b/manifests/ec2api.pp
index 0bc42f81d..6b4267f9b 100644
--- a/manifests/ec2api.pp
+++ b/manifests/ec2api.pp
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ class openstack_integration::ec2api {
     password     => 'a_big_secret',
   }
   class { 'ec2api::db::mysql':
+    charset  => $::openstack_integration::params::mysql_charset,
     password => 'ec2api',
   }
   case $::osfamily {
diff --git a/manifests/glance.pp b/manifests/glance.pp
index 1f84ed847..e73ee60cc 100644
--- a/manifests/glance.pp
+++ b/manifests/glance.pp
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ class openstack_integration::glance (
   }
 
   class { 'glance::db::mysql':
+    charset  => $::openstack_integration::params::mysql_charset,
     password => 'glance',
   }
   include glance
diff --git a/manifests/gnocchi.pp b/manifests/gnocchi.pp
index 72ccc0a92..66c378c8f 100644
--- a/manifests/gnocchi.pp
+++ b/manifests/gnocchi.pp
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ class openstack_integration::gnocchi (
     coordination_url => $::openstack_integration::config::tooz_url,
   }
   class { 'gnocchi::db::mysql':
+    charset  => $::openstack_integration::params::mysql_charset,
     password => 'gnocchi',
   }
   class { 'gnocchi::keystone::auth':
diff --git a/manifests/heat.pp b/manifests/heat.pp
index ca19f64df..01f94f809 100644
--- a/manifests/heat.pp
+++ b/manifests/heat.pp
@@ -64,6 +64,7 @@ class openstack_integration::heat (
     notification_driver        => 'messagingv2',
   }
   class { 'heat::db::mysql':
+    charset  => $::openstack_integration::params::mysql_charset,
     password => 'heat',
   }
   class { 'heat::keystone::auth':
diff --git a/manifests/ironic.pp b/manifests/ironic.pp
index 3a32c552f..ece5b17af 100644
--- a/manifests/ironic.pp
+++ b/manifests/ironic.pp
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ class openstack_integration::ironic {
     amqp_sasl_mechanisms  => 'PLAIN',
   }
   class { 'ironic::db::mysql':
+    charset  => $::openstack_integration::params::mysql_charset,
     password => 'ironic',
   }
   class { 'ironic::keystone::auth':
@@ -83,6 +84,7 @@ class openstack_integration::ironic {
     }
     'RedHat': {
       class { 'ironic::inspector::db::mysql':
+        charset  => $::openstack_integration::params::mysql_charset,
         password => 'a_big_secret',
       }
       class { 'ironic::inspector::authtoken':
diff --git a/manifests/keystone.pp b/manifests/keystone.pp
index eac1371f1..17598b001 100644
--- a/manifests/keystone.pp
+++ b/manifests/keystone.pp
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@ class openstack_integration::keystone (
     minute => '*/30',
   }
   class { 'keystone::db::mysql':
+    charset  => $::openstack_integration::params::mysql_charset,
     password => 'keystone',
   }
   class { 'keystone::db':
diff --git a/manifests/magnum.pp b/manifests/magnum.pp
index d4fd77ae3..debf44c2a 100644
--- a/manifests/magnum.pp
+++ b/manifests/magnum.pp
@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@ class openstack_integration::magnum (
   }
 
   class { 'magnum::db::mysql':
+    charset  => $::openstack_integration::params::mysql_charset,
     password => 'magnum',
   }
 
diff --git a/manifests/mistral.pp b/manifests/mistral.pp
index 97c48e404..6c0b30a94 100644
--- a/manifests/mistral.pp
+++ b/manifests/mistral.pp
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ class openstack_integration::mistral {
     password     => 'a_big_secret',
   }
   class { 'mistral::db::mysql':
+    charset  => $::openstack_integration::params::mysql_charset,
     password => 'mistral',
   }
   class { 'mistral::api':
diff --git a/manifests/murano.pp b/manifests/murano.pp
index 45498f64e..07fa83d0e 100644
--- a/manifests/murano.pp
+++ b/manifests/murano.pp
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ class openstack_integration::murano {
   }
 
   class { 'murano::db::mysql':
+    charset  => $::openstack_integration::params::mysql_charset,
     password => 'a_big_secret',
   }
   class { 'murano::logging':
diff --git a/manifests/neutron.pp b/manifests/neutron.pp
index 82eabd46d..58eb94bca 100644
--- a/manifests/neutron.pp
+++ b/manifests/neutron.pp
@@ -116,6 +116,7 @@ class openstack_integration::neutron (
   }
 
   class { 'neutron::db::mysql':
+    charset  => $::openstack_integration::params::mysql_charset,
     password => 'neutron',
   }
   class { 'neutron::keystone::auth':
diff --git a/manifests/nova.pp b/manifests/nova.pp
index 1071c78da..366846480 100644
--- a/manifests/nova.pp
+++ b/manifests/nova.pp
@@ -63,10 +63,12 @@ class openstack_integration::nova (
   }
 
   class { 'nova::db::mysql':
+    charset  => $::openstack_integration::params::mysql_charset,
     password => 'nova',
   }
   class { 'nova::db::mysql_api':
-    password    => 'nova',
+    charset  => $::openstack_integration::params::mysql_charset,
+    password => 'nova',
   }
   include nova::cell_v2::simple_setup
 
diff --git a/manifests/params.pp b/manifests/params.pp
index d0ec4c42d..59540e138 100644
--- a/manifests/params.pp
+++ b/manifests/params.pp
@@ -5,11 +5,19 @@ class openstack_integration::params {
       $ca_bundle_cert_path = '/etc/ssl/certs/ca-bundle.crt'
       $cert_path           = '/etc/pki/ca-trust/source/anchors/puppet_openstack.pem'
       $update_ca_certs_cmd = '/usr/bin/update-ca-trust force-enable && /usr/bin/update-ca-trust extract'
+      $mysql_charset       = 'utf8'
     }
     'Debian': {
       $ca_bundle_cert_path = '/etc/ssl/certs/puppet_openstack.pem'
       $cert_path           = '/usr/local/share/ca-certificates/puppet_openstack.crt'
       $update_ca_certs_cmd = '/usr/sbin/update-ca-certificates -f'
+      if $::operatingsystem == 'Debian' {
+        $mysql_charset     = 'utf8'
+      } else {
+        # TODO(tkajinam): This is to fix the gate quickly. We should revisit
+        #                 this later. utf8mb4 would be the preferred option
+        $mysql_charset     = 'utf8mb3'
+      }
     }
     default: {
       fail("Unsupported osfamily: ${::osfamily} operatingsystem")
diff --git a/manifests/placement.pp b/manifests/placement.pp
index b0b1ef7a0..d75040e81 100644
--- a/manifests/placement.pp
+++ b/manifests/placement.pp
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ class openstack_integration::placement {
   }
 
   class { 'placement::db::mysql':
+    charset  => $::openstack_integration::params::mysql_charset,
     password => 'placement',
   }
 
diff --git a/manifests/sahara.pp b/manifests/sahara.pp
index 279a23b53..7927354d1 100644
--- a/manifests/sahara.pp
+++ b/manifests/sahara.pp
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ class openstack_integration::sahara (
   }
 
   class { 'sahara::db::mysql':
+    charset  => $::openstack_integration::params::mysql_charset,
     password => 'sahara',
   }
 
diff --git a/manifests/trove.pp b/manifests/trove.pp
index a021f7f82..c658113bb 100644
--- a/manifests/trove.pp
+++ b/manifests/trove.pp
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ class openstack_integration::trove {
     nova_proxy_admin_pass      => 'a_big_secret',
   }
   class { 'trove::db::mysql':
+    charset  => $::openstack_integration::params::mysql_charset,
     password => 'trove',
   }
   class { 'trove::keystone::auth':
diff --git a/manifests/vitrage.pp b/manifests/vitrage.pp
index 7b36b7275..1b4b91ecf 100644
--- a/manifests/vitrage.pp
+++ b/manifests/vitrage.pp
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ class openstack_integration::vitrage {
   }
 
   class { 'vitrage::db::mysql':
+    charset  => $::openstack_integration::params::mysql_charset,
     password => 'vitrage',
   }
 
diff --git a/manifests/watcher.pp b/manifests/watcher.pp
index 16314d2c5..41d72dc7c 100644
--- a/manifests/watcher.pp
+++ b/manifests/watcher.pp
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ class openstack_integration::watcher {
     Exec['update-ca-certificates'] ~> Service['httpd']
   }
   class { 'watcher::db::mysql':
+    charset  => $::openstack_integration::params::mysql_charset,
     password => 'watcher',
   }
   class { 'watcher::db':
diff --git a/manifests/zaqar.pp b/manifests/zaqar.pp
index 9fe6ea148..2affec555 100644
--- a/manifests/zaqar.pp
+++ b/manifests/zaqar.pp
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ class openstack_integration::zaqar {
     debug => true,
   }
   class { 'zaqar::db::mysql':
+    charset  => $::openstack_integration::params::mysql_charset,
     password => 'zaqar',
   }
   class { 'zaqar::keystone::auth':