1 files changed, 6 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/includes/database/mysql/database.inc b/includes/database/mysql/database.inc
index a61fa9d9a..26fe17247 100644
--- a/includes/database/mysql/database.inc
+++ b/includes/database/mysql/database.inc
@@ -30,6 +30,12 @@ class DatabaseConnection_mysql extends DatabaseConnection {
       // Because MySQL's prepared statements skip the query cache, because it's dumb.
       PDO::ATTR_EMULATE_PREPARES => TRUE,
     ));
+
+    // Force MySQL to use the UTF-8 character set by default.
+    $this->exec('SET NAMES "utf8"');
+
+    // Enable MySQL's "strict mode", which removes most of MySQL's
+    // "just be lazy" behaviors that end up causing more trouble than they're worth.
     $this->exec('SET sql_mode=STRICT_ALL_TABLES');
   }