diff --git a/ceilometer/storage/sqlalchemy/migrate_repo/versions/001_add_meter_table.py b/ceilometer/storage/sqlalchemy/migrate_repo/versions/001_add_meter_table.py
index 7d7e71af1..081b4e56e 100644
--- a/ceilometer/storage/sqlalchemy/migrate_repo/versions/001_add_meter_table.py
+++ b/ceilometer/storage/sqlalchemy/migrate_repo/versions/001_add_meter_table.py
@@ -38,7 +38,9 @@ meter = Table(
     Column('counter_duration', Integer),
     Column('timestamp', DateTime(timezone=False), index=True),
     Column('message_signature', String(1000)),
-    Column('message_id', String(1000))
+    Column('message_id', String(1000)),
+    mysql_engine='InnoDB',
+    mysql_charset='utf8',
 )
 
 resource = Table(
@@ -48,17 +50,23 @@ resource = Table(
     Column('project_id', String(255), index=True),
     Column('received_timestamp', DateTime(timezone=False)),
     Column('timestamp', DateTime(timezone=False), index=True),
-    Column('user_id', String(255), index=True)
+    Column('user_id', String(255), index=True),
+    mysql_engine='InnoDB',
+    mysql_charset='utf8',
 )
 
 user = Table(
     'user', meta,
     Column('id', String(255), primary_key=True, index=True),
+    mysql_engine='InnoDB',
+    mysql_charset='utf8',
 )
 
 project = Table(
     'project', meta,
     Column('id', String(255), primary_key=True, index=True),
+    mysql_engine='InnoDB',
+    mysql_charset='utf8',
 )
 
 sourceassoc = Table(
@@ -71,13 +79,17 @@ sourceassoc = Table(
     Index('idx_su', 'source_id', 'user_id'),
     Index('idx_sp', 'source_id', 'project_id'),
     Index('idx_sr', 'source_id', 'resource_id'),
-    Index('idx_sm', 'source_id', 'meter_id')
+    Index('idx_sm', 'source_id', 'meter_id'),
+    mysql_engine='InnoDB',
+    mysql_charset='utf8',
 )
 
 source = Table(
     'source', meta,
     Column('id', String(255), primary_key=True, index=True),
-    UniqueConstraint('id')
+    UniqueConstraint('id'),
+    mysql_engine='InnoDB',
+    mysql_charset='utf8',
 )
 
 
diff --git a/ceilometer/storage/sqlalchemy/migrate_repo/versions/007_add_alarm_table.py b/ceilometer/storage/sqlalchemy/migrate_repo/versions/007_add_alarm_table.py
index 0a9575fbd..68b6318fd 100644
--- a/ceilometer/storage/sqlalchemy/migrate_repo/versions/007_add_alarm_table.py
+++ b/ceilometer/storage/sqlalchemy/migrate_repo/versions/007_add_alarm_table.py
@@ -43,7 +43,9 @@ alarm = Table(
     Column('ok_actions', Text()),
     Column('alarm_actions', Text()),
     Column('insufficient_data_actions', Text()),
-    Column('matching_metadata', Text()))
+    Column('matching_metadata', Text()),
+    mysql_engine='InnoDB',
+    mysql_charset='utf8')
 
 
 def upgrade(migrate_engine):
diff --git a/ceilometer/storage/sqlalchemy/migrate_repo/versions/008_add_events.py b/ceilometer/storage/sqlalchemy/migrate_repo/versions/008_add_events.py
index a27de9132..c4600e755 100644
--- a/ceilometer/storage/sqlalchemy/migrate_repo/versions/008_add_events.py
+++ b/ceilometer/storage/sqlalchemy/migrate_repo/versions/008_add_events.py
@@ -27,7 +27,9 @@ meta = MetaData()
 unique_name = Table(
     'unique_name', meta,
     Column('id', Integer, primary_key=True),
-    Column('key', String(32), index=True)
+    Column('key', String(32), index=True),
+    mysql_engine='InnoDB',
+    mysql_charset='utf8',
 )
 
 
@@ -35,7 +37,9 @@ event = Table(
     'event', meta,
     Column('id', Integer, primary_key=True),
     Column('generated', Float(asdecimal=True), index=True),
-    Column('unique_name_id', Integer, ForeignKey('unique_name.id'))
+    Column('unique_name_id', Integer, ForeignKey('unique_name.id')),
+    mysql_engine='InnoDB',
+    mysql_charset='utf8',
 )
 
 
@@ -49,7 +53,9 @@ trait = Table(
     Column('t_int', Integer, nullable=True, default=None, index=True),
     Column('t_datetime', Float(asdecimal=True), nullable=True, default=None,
            index=True),
-    Column('event_id', Integer, ForeignKey('event.id'))
+    Column('event_id', Integer, ForeignKey('event.id')),
+    mysql_engine='InnoDB',
+    mysql_charset='utf8',
 )
 
 
diff --git a/ceilometer/storage/sqlalchemy/migrate_repo/versions/015_add_alarm_history_table.py b/ceilometer/storage/sqlalchemy/migrate_repo/versions/015_add_alarm_history_table.py
index 95338dc70..28ee1dd91 100644
--- a/ceilometer/storage/sqlalchemy/migrate_repo/versions/015_add_alarm_history_table.py
+++ b/ceilometer/storage/sqlalchemy/migrate_repo/versions/015_add_alarm_history_table.py
@@ -39,7 +39,8 @@ def upgrade(migrate_engine):
         Column('type', String(20)),
         Column('detail', String(255)),
         Column('timestamp', DateTime(timezone=False)),
-        mysql_engine='InnoDB')
+        mysql_engine='InnoDB',
+        mysql_charset='utf8')
 
     alarm_history.create()