diff --git a/lib/dbl.php b/lib/dbl.php
index 75b9fca44..93dd8a270 100644
--- a/lib/dbl.php
+++ b/lib/dbl.php
@@ -835,6 +835,13 @@ static function shutdown() {
         self::$query_log = false;
     }
 
+    /** @param ?\mysqli $dblink
+     * @return string */
+    static function utf8_charset($dblink = null) {
+        $dblink = $dblink ?? self::$default_dblink;
+        return $dblink->server_version >= 50503 ? "utf8mb4" : "utf8";
+    }
+
     /** @param \mysqli|string $dblink
      * @param ?string $qstr
      * @return string */
@@ -870,13 +877,6 @@ static function convert_utf8($dblink, $qstr = null) {
         $utf8 = $dblink->server_version >= 50503 ? "utf8mb4" : "utf8";
         return "convert($qstr using $utf8)";
     }
-
-    /** @param ?\mysqli $dblink
-     * @return string */
-    static function utf8_charset($dblink = null) {
-        $dblink = $dblink ?? self::$default_dblink;
-        return $dblink->server_version >= 50503 ? "utf8mb4" : "utf8";
-    }
 }
 
 // quoting for SQL