diff --git a/server/core/dbusers.c b/server/core/dbusers.c
index 0ebd8f8cd..04d4b8f04 100644
--- a/server/core/dbusers.c
+++ b/server/core/dbusers.c
@@ -2612,6 +2612,11 @@ static bool check_server_permissions(SERVICE *service, SERVER* server,
         return my_errno != ER_ACCESS_DENIED_ERROR;
     }
 
+    /** Copy the server charset */
+    MY_CHARSET_INFO cs_info;
+    mysql_get_character_set_info(mysql, &cs_info);
+    server->charset = cs_info.number;
+
     if (server->server_string == NULL)
     {
         const char *server_string = mysql_get_server_info(mysql);
diff --git a/server/core/server.c b/server/core/server.c
index a29198791..8de58eb5d 100644
--- a/server/core/server.c
+++ b/server/core/server.c
@@ -44,6 +44,9 @@
 #include <log_manager.h>
 #include <gw_ssl.h>
 
+/** The latin1 charset */
+#define SERVER_DEFAULT_CHARSET 0x08
+
 static SPINLOCK server_spin = SPINLOCK_INIT;
 static SERVER *allServers = NULL;
 
@@ -89,6 +92,7 @@ server_alloc(char *servname, char *protocol, unsigned short port)
     server->persistmaxtime = 0;
     server->persistpoolmax = 0;
     server->slave_configured = false;
+    server->charset = SERVER_DEFAULT_CHARSET;
     spinlock_init(&server->persistlock);
 
     spinlock_acquire(&server_spin);
diff --git a/server/include/server.h b/server/include/server.h
index 5dfe79cfc..674a19370 100644
--- a/server/include/server.h
+++ b/server/include/server.h
@@ -109,6 +109,7 @@ typedef struct server
     long           persistpoolmax; /**< Maximum size of persistent connections pool */
     long           persistmaxtime; /**< Maximum number of seconds connection can live */
     int            persistmax;     /**< Maximum pool size actually achieved since startup */
+    uint8_t        charset;        /**< Default server character set */
 #if defined(SS_DEBUG)
     skygw_chk_t    server_chk_tail;
 #endif
diff --git a/server/modules/protocol/mysql_client.c b/server/modules/protocol/mysql_client.c
index e7663308d..0146e819e 100644
--- a/server/modules/protocol/mysql_client.c
+++ b/server/modules/protocol/mysql_client.c
@@ -277,6 +277,11 @@ int MySQLSendHandshake(DCB* dcb)
     int len_version_string = 0;
     int id_num;
 
+    if (dcb->service->dbref)
+    {
+        mysql_server_language = dcb->service->dbref->server->charset;
+    }
+
     MySQLProtocol *protocol = DCB_PROTOCOL(dcb, MySQLProtocol);
     GWBUF *buf;