diff --git a/i.php b/i.php
index 7a74fcb88..415a9168d 100644
--- a/i.php
+++ b/i.php
@@ -416,6 +416,8 @@ catch (Exception $e)
 {
   ilog("db error", $e->getMessage());
 }
+pwg_db_check_charset();
+
 list($conf['derivatives']) = pwg_db_fetch_row(pwg_query('SELECT value FROM '.$prefixeTable.'config WHERE param=\'derivatives\''));
 ImageStdParams::load_from_db();