diff --git a/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Database/Driver/mysql/Connection.php b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Database/Driver/mysql/Connection.php
index f313892..715f6e2 100644
--- a/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Database/Driver/mysql/Connection.php
+++ b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Database/Driver/mysql/Connection.php
@@ -57,21 +57,21 @@ public static function open(array &$connection_options = array()) {
     if (isset($connection_options['unix_socket'])) {
       $dsn = 'mysql:unix_socket=' . $connection_options['unix_socket'];
     }
     else {
       // Default to TCP connection on port 3306.
       $dsn = 'mysql:host=' . $connection_options['host'] . ';port=' . (empty($connection_options['port']) ? 3306 : $connection_options['port']);
     }
     // Character set is added to dsn to ensure PDO uses the proper character
     // set when escaping. This has security implications. See
     // https://www.drupal.org/node/1201452 for further discussion.
-    $dsn .= ';charset=utf8';
+    $dsn .= ';charset=utf8mb4';
     if (!empty($connection_options['database'])) {
       $dsn .= ';dbname=' . $connection_options['database'];
     }
     // Allow PDO options to be overridden.
     $connection_options += array(
       'pdo' => array(),
     );
     $connection_options['pdo'] += array(
       \PDO::ATTR_ERRMODE => \PDO::ERRMODE_EXCEPTION,
       // So we don't have to mess around with cursors and unbuffered queries by default.
@@ -85,27 +85,27 @@ public static function open(array &$connection_options = array()) {
     );
     if (defined('\PDO::MYSQL_ATTR_MULTI_STATEMENTS')) {
       // An added connection option in PHP 5.5.21 to optionally limit SQL to a
       // single statement like mysqli.
       $connection_options['pdo'] += [\PDO::MYSQL_ATTR_MULTI_STATEMENTS => FALSE];
     }
 
     $pdo = new \PDO($dsn, $connection_options['username'], $connection_options['password'], $connection_options['pdo']);
 
     // Force MySQL to use the UTF-8 character set. Also set the collation, if a
-    // certain one has been set; otherwise, MySQL defaults to 'utf8_general_ci'
+    // certain one has been set; otherwise, MySQL defaults to 'utf8mb4_general_ci'
     // for UTF-8.
     if (!empty($connection_options['collation'])) {
-      $pdo->exec('SET NAMES utf8 COLLATE ' . $connection_options['collation']);
+      $pdo->exec('SET NAMES utf8mb4 COLLATE ' . $connection_options['collation']);
     }
     else {
-      $pdo->exec('SET NAMES utf8');
+      $pdo->exec('SET NAMES utf8mb4');
     }
 
     // Set MySQL init_commands if not already defined.  Default Drupal's MySQL
     // behavior to conform more closely to SQL standards.  This allows Drupal
     // to run almost seamlessly on many different kinds of database systems.
     // These settings force MySQL to behave the same as postgresql, or sqlite
     // in regards to syntax interpretation and invalid data handling.  See
     // http://drupal.org/node/344575 for further discussion. Also, as MySQL 5.5
     // changed the meaning of TRADITIONAL we need to spell out the modes one by
     // one.
diff --git a/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Database/Driver/mysql/Schema.php b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Database/Driver/mysql/Schema.php
index d0aba49..9669113 100644
--- a/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Database/Driver/mysql/Schema.php
+++ b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Database/Driver/mysql/Schema.php
@@ -101,22 +101,22 @@ protected function createTableSql($name, $table) {
     $keys = $this->createKeysSql($table);
     if (count($keys)) {
       $sql .= implode(", \n", $keys) . ", \n";
     }
 
     // Remove the last comma and space.
     $sql = substr($sql, 0, -3) . "\n) ";
 
     $sql .= 'ENGINE = ' . $table['mysql_engine'] . ' DEFAULT CHARACTER SET ' . $table['mysql_character_set'];
     // By default, MySQL uses the default collation for new tables, which is
-    // 'utf8_general_ci' for utf8. If an alternate collation has been set, it
-    // needs to be explicitly specified.
+    // 'utf8mb4_general_ci' for utf8mb4. If an alternate collation has been
+    // set, it needs to be explicitly specified.
     // @see DatabaseConnection_mysql
     if (!empty($info['collation'])) {
       $sql .= ' COLLATE ' . $info['collation'];
     }
 
     // Add table comment.
     if (!empty($table['description'])) {
       $sql .= ' COMMENT ' . $this->prepareComment($table['description'], self::COMMENT_MAX_TABLE);
     }
 
diff --git a/sites/default/default.settings.php b/sites/default/default.settings.php
index d4bb0de..3e264b4 100644
--- a/sites/default/default.settings.php
+++ b/sites/default/default.settings.php
@@ -68,21 +68,21 @@
  * similar to the following:
  * @code
  * array(
  *   'driver' => 'mysql',
  *   'database' => 'databasename',
  *   'username' => 'username',
  *   'password' => 'password',
  *   'host' => 'localhost',
  *   'port' => 3306,
  *   'prefix' => 'myprefix_',
- *   'collation' => 'utf8_general_ci',
+ *   'collation' => 'utf8mb4_general_ci',
  * );
  * @endcode
  *
  * The "driver" property indicates what Drupal database driver the
  * connection should use.  This is usually the same as the name of the
  * database type, such as mysql or sqlite, but not always.  The other
  * properties will vary depending on the driver.  For SQLite, you must
  * specify a database file name in a directory that is writable by the
  * webserver.  For most other drivers, you must specify a
  * username, password, host, and database name.
@@ -120,21 +120,21 @@
  *
  * For a single database configuration, the following is sufficient:
  * @code
  * $databases['default']['default'] = array(
  *   'driver' => 'mysql',
  *   'database' => 'databasename',
  *   'username' => 'username',
  *   'password' => 'password',
  *   'host' => 'localhost',
  *   'prefix' => 'main_',
- *   'collation' => 'utf8_general_ci',
+ *   'collation' => 'utf8mb4_general_ci',
  * );
  * @endcode
  *
  * You can optionally set prefixes for some or all database table names
  * by using the 'prefix' setting. If a prefix is specified, the table
  * name will be prepended with its value. Be sure to use valid database
  * characters only, usually alphanumeric and underscore. If no prefixes
  * are desired, leave it as an empty string ''.
  *
  * To have all database names prefixed, set 'prefix' as a string: