diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 72ff37ff0..5e26875d2 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -233,7 +233,7 @@ Mysql2::Client.new(
   :database,
   :socket = '/path/to/mysql.sock',
   :flags = REMEMBER_OPTIONS | LONG_PASSWORD | LONG_FLAG | TRANSACTIONS | PROTOCOL_41 | SECURE_CONNECTION | MULTI_STATEMENTS,
-  :encoding = 'utf8',
+  :encoding = 'utf8mb4',
   :read_timeout = seconds,
   :write_timeout = seconds,
   :connect_timeout = seconds,
@@ -309,7 +309,7 @@ Use the value `mysql2` as the adapter name. For example:
 ``` yaml
 development:
   adapter: mysql2
-  encoding: utf8
+  encoding: utf8mb4
   database: my_db_name
   username: root
   password: my_password
diff --git a/lib/mysql2/client.rb b/lib/mysql2/client.rb
index 607ad6d6a..31e9e3301 100644
--- a/lib/mysql2/client.rb
+++ b/lib/mysql2/client.rb
@@ -43,8 +43,8 @@ def initialize(opts = {})
         end
       end
 
-      # force the encoding to utf8
-      self.charset_name = opts[:encoding] || 'utf8'
+      # force the encoding to utf8mb4
+      self.charset_name = opts[:encoding] || 'utf8mb4'
 
       ssl_options = opts.values_at(:sslkey, :sslcert, :sslca, :sslcapath, :sslcipher)
       ssl_set(*ssl_options) if ssl_options.any? || opts.key?(:sslverify)