diff --git a/connectorx/src/sources/mysql/mod.rs b/connectorx/src/sources/mysql/mod.rs
index 5b3d03960..0cf74d858 100644
--- a/connectorx/src/sources/mysql/mod.rs
+++ b/connectorx/src/sources/mysql/mod.rs
@@ -17,7 +17,14 @@ use fehler::{throw, throws};
 use log::{debug, warn};
 use r2d2::{Pool, PooledConnection};
 use r2d2_mysql::{
-    mysql::{prelude::Queryable, Binary, Opts, OptsBuilder, QueryResult, Row, Text},
+    mysql::{
+        consts::{
+            ColumnFlags as MySQLColumnFlags, ColumnType as MySQLColumnType, UTF8MB4_GENERAL_CI,
+            UTF8_GENERAL_CI,
+        },
+        prelude::Queryable,
+        Binary, Opts, OptsBuilder, QueryResult, Row, Text,
+    },
     MySqlConnectionManager,
 };
 use rust_decimal::Decimal;
@@ -96,6 +103,8 @@ where
         assert!(!self.queries.is_empty());
 
         let mut conn = self.pool.get()?;
+        let server_version_post_5_5_3 = conn.server_version() >= (5, 5, 3);
+
         let first_query = &self.queries[0];
 
         match conn.prep(first_query) {
@@ -104,10 +113,28 @@ where
                     .columns()
                     .iter()
                     .map(|col| {
-                        (
-                            col.name_str().to_string(),
-                            MySQLTypeSystem::from((&col.column_type(), &col.flags())),
-                        )
+                        let col_name = col.name_str().to_string();
+                        let col_type = col.column_type();
+                        let col_flags = col.flags();
+                        let charset = col.character_set();
+                        let charset_is_utf8 = (server_version_post_5_5_3
+                            && charset == UTF8MB4_GENERAL_CI)
+                            || (!server_version_post_5_5_3 && charset == UTF8_GENERAL_CI);
+                        if charset_is_utf8
+                            && (col_type == MySQLColumnType::MYSQL_TYPE_LONG_BLOB
+                                || col_type == MySQLColumnType::MYSQL_TYPE_BLOB
+                                || col_type == MySQLColumnType::MYSQL_TYPE_MEDIUM_BLOB
+                                || col_type == MySQLColumnType::MYSQL_TYPE_TINY_BLOB)
+                        {
+                            return (
+                                col_name,
+                                MySQLTypeSystem::Char(
+                                    !col_flags.contains(MySQLColumnFlags::NOT_NULL_FLAG),
+                                ),
+                            );
+                        }
+                        let d = MySQLTypeSystem::from((&col_type, &col_flags));
+                        (col_name, d)
                     })
                     .unzip();
                 self.names = names;