diff --git a/ansible/group_vars/all.yml b/ansible/group_vars/all.yml
index af121ce617..15ccc94b48 100644
--- a/ansible/group_vars/all.yml
+++ b/ansible/group_vars/all.yml
@@ -320,13 +320,19 @@ glance_backend_file: "{{ not enable_ceph | bool }}"
 glance_backend_ceph: "{{ enable_ceph }}"
 
 
+#######################
+# Ceilometer options
+#######################
+# Valid options are [ mongodb, mysql ]
+ceilometer_database_type: "mongodb"
+
+
 #################################
 # Cinder options
 #################################
 cinder_backend_ceph: "{{ enable_ceph }}"
 
 
-
 #######################
 # Nova options
 #######################
diff --git a/ansible/roles/ceilometer/tasks/bootstrap.yml b/ansible/roles/ceilometer/tasks/bootstrap.yml
index 13fd87f9b3..0e6f77fc21 100644
--- a/ansible/roles/ceilometer/tasks/bootstrap.yml
+++ b/ansible/roles/ceilometer/tasks/bootstrap.yml
@@ -1,10 +1,5 @@
 ---
-- name: Checking backend for ceilometer
-  local_action: fail msg="No backend enabled for ceilometer. Mongodb is the only supported one for now"
-  changed_when: false
-  when: enable_ceilometer | bool and not enable_mongodb | bool
-
-- name: Creating Ceilometer database
+- name: Creating Ceilometer MongoDB database
   command: docker exec -t mongodb mongo --host {{ ceilometer_database_address }} --eval 'db = db.getSiblingDB("{{ ceilometer_database_name }}"); db.addUser({user':' "{{ ceilometer_database_user }}", pwd':' "{{ ceilometer_database_password}}", roles':' [ "readWrite", "dbAdmin" ]})'
   register: database
   run_once: true
@@ -12,5 +7,45 @@
     - "'already' not in database.stdout"
     - database.stdout.split()[4] != 'connecting'
   delegate_to: "{{ groups['mongodb'][0] }}"
+  when:
+    - ceilometer_database_type == "mongodb"
+
+- name: Creating Ceilometer mysql database
+  command: docker exec -t kolla_toolbox /usr/bin/ansible localhost
+    -m mysql_db
+    -a "login_host='{{ database_address }}'
+        login_port='{{ database_port }}'
+        login_user='{{ database_user }}'
+        login_password='{{ database_password }}'
+        name='{{ ceilometer_database_name }}'"
+  register: database
+  changed_when: "{{ database.stdout.find('localhost | SUCCESS => ') != -1 and
+                    (database.stdout.split('localhost | SUCCESS => ')[1]|from_json).changed }}"
+  failed_when: database.stdout.split()[2] != 'SUCCESS'
+  run_once: True
+  delegate_to: "{{ groups['ceilometer-api'][0] }}"
+  when:
+    - ceilometer_database_type == "mysql"
+
+- name: Creating Ceilometer database user and setting permissions
+  command: docker exec -t kolla_toolbox /usr/bin/ansible localhost
+    -m mysql_user
+    -a "login_host='{{ database_address }}'
+        login_port='{{ database_port }}'
+        login_user='{{ database_user }}'
+        login_password='{{ database_password }}'
+        name='{{ ceilometer_database_name }}'
+        password='{{ ceilometer_database_password }}'
+        host='%'
+        priv='{{ ceilometer_database_name }}.*:ALL'
+        append_privs='yes'"
+  register: database_user_create
+  changed_when: "{{ database_user_create.stdout.find('localhost | SUCCESS => ') != -1 and
+                    (database_user_create.stdout.split('localhost | SUCCESS => ')[1]|from_json).changed }}"
+  failed_when: database_user_create.stdout.split()[2] != 'SUCCESS'
+  run_once: True
+  delegate_to: "{{ groups['ceilometer-api'][0] }}"
+  when:
+    - ceilometer_database_type == "mysql"
 
 - include: bootstrap_service.yml
diff --git a/ansible/roles/ceilometer/templates/ceilometer.conf.j2 b/ansible/roles/ceilometer/templates/ceilometer.conf.j2
index 3979f2c18c..6ffe3b476f 100644
--- a/ansible/roles/ceilometer/templates/ceilometer.conf.j2
+++ b/ansible/roles/ceilometer/templates/ceilometer.conf.j2
@@ -12,7 +12,11 @@ host = {{ hostvars[inventory_hostname]['ansible_' + api_interface]['ipv4']['addr
 [collector]
 
 [database]
+{% if ceilometer_database_type == "mongodb" %}
 connection = mongodb://{{ ceilometer_database_user }}:{{ ceilometer_database_password }}@{{ ceilometer_database_address }}:{{ mongodb_port }}/{{ ceilometer_database_name }}
+{% elif ceilometer_database_type == "mysql" %}
+connection = mysql+pymysql://{{ ceilometer_database_user }}:{{ ceilometer_database_password }}@{{ ceilometer_database_address }}/{{ ceilometer_database_name }}
+{% endif %}
 
 [keystone_authtoken]
 memcached_servers = {{ kolla_internal_fqdn }}:{{ memcached_port }}
diff --git a/ansible/roles/prechecks/tasks/service_checks.yml b/ansible/roles/prechecks/tasks/service_checks.yml
index 700f3a2760..b4e7ca99cd 100644
--- a/ansible/roles/prechecks/tasks/service_checks.yml
+++ b/ansible/roles/prechecks/tasks/service_checks.yml
@@ -57,7 +57,10 @@
     - groups['neutron-dhcp-agent'] | length < 2
       or groups['neutron-l3-agent'] | length < 2
 
-- name: Checking backend for ceilometer
-  local_action: fail msg="No backend enabled for ceilometer. Mongodb is the only supported one for now"
+- name: Checking mongodb backend for ceilometer
+  local_action: fail msg="ceilometer_database_type set to 'mongodb' but mongodb is not enabled"
   changed_when: false
-  when: enable_ceilometer | bool and not enable_mongodb | bool
+  when:
+    - enable_ceilometer | bool
+    - not enable_mongodb | bool
+    - ceilometer_database_type == "mongodb"
diff --git a/etc/kolla/globals.yml b/etc/kolla/globals.yml
index 7bad57bc27..2ab0958321 100644
--- a/etc/kolla/globals.yml
+++ b/etc/kolla/globals.yml
@@ -174,6 +174,11 @@ kolla_internal_vip_address: "10.10.10.254"
 #glance_backend_file: "yes"
 #glance_backend_ceph: "no"
 
+#######################
+# Ceilometer options
+#######################
+# Valid options are [ mongodb, mysql ]
+#ceilometer_database_type: "mongodb"
 
 #######################
 # Cinder options
diff --git a/releasenotes/notes/add-mysql-ceilometer-backend-9ffdc4c0495fb801.yaml b/releasenotes/notes/add-mysql-ceilometer-backend-9ffdc4c0495fb801.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..3625c49e12
--- /dev/null
+++ b/releasenotes/notes/add-mysql-ceilometer-backend-9ffdc4c0495fb801.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+---
+features:
+  - Allow mysql to be used as a database for Ceilometer.