diff --git a/tox.ini b/tox.ini
index db70fa930..e8c14444d 100644
--- a/tox.ini
+++ b/tox.ini
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ commands = {toxinidir}/caravel/assets/js_build.sh
 [testenv:py27-mysql]
 basepython = python2.7
 setenv =
-    CARAVEL__SQLALCHEMY_DATABASE_URI = mysql://mysqluser:mysqluserpassword@localhost/caravel
+    CARAVEL__SQLALCHEMY_DATABASE_URI = mysql://mysqluser:mysqluserpassword@localhost/caravel?charset=utf8
 
 [testenv:py34-mysql]
 basepython = python3.4