diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 6bcf1b2..7257bfc 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -4,6 +4,12 @@ This project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](http://semver.org/).
 This CHANGELOG follows the format listed [here](https://github.com/sensu-plugins/community/blob/master/HOW_WE_CHANGELOG.md)
 
 ## [Unreleased]
+### Added
+- Option to define default charset in following scripts:
+    - `check-mysql-alive.rb`
+    - `check-mysql-connections.rb`
+    - `check-mysql-replication-status.rb`
+    - `check-mysql-select-count.rb`
 
 ## [3.2.0] - 2020-08-26
 ### Changed
diff --git a/bin/check-mysql-alive.rb b/bin/check-mysql-alive.rb
index 4372fbc..a9e841c 100755
--- a/bin/check-mysql-alive.rb
+++ b/bin/check-mysql-alive.rb
@@ -80,6 +80,11 @@ class CheckMySQL < Sensu::Plugin::Check::CLI
          short: '-s SOCKET',
          long: '--socket SOCKET'
 
+  option :default_charset,
+         short: '-D',
+         long: '--default_charset=VALUE',
+         description: 'Provide custom charset for connection'
+
   def run
     if config[:ini]
       ini = IniFile.load(config[:ini])
@@ -92,7 +97,11 @@ def run
     end
 
     begin
-      db = Mysql.real_connect(config[:hostname], db_user, db_pass, config[:database], config[:port].to_i, config[:socket])
+      db = Mysql.init
+      if config[:default_charset]
+        db.options Mysql::SET_CHARSET_NAME, config[:default_charset]
+      end
+      db.real_connect(config[:hostname], db_user, db_pass, config[:database], config[:port].to_i, config[:socket])
       info = db.get_server_info
       ok "Server version: #{info}"
     rescue Mysql::Error => e
diff --git a/bin/check-mysql-connections.rb b/bin/check-mysql-connections.rb
index 098c43f..847943e 100755
--- a/bin/check-mysql-connections.rb
+++ b/bin/check-mysql-connections.rb
@@ -73,6 +73,11 @@ class CheckMySQLHealth < Sensu::Plugin::Check::CLI
          long: '--percentage',
          default: false
 
+  option :default_charset,
+         short: '-D',
+         long: '--default_charset=VALUE',
+         description: 'Provide custom charset for connection'
+
   def run
     if config[:ini]
       ini = IniFile.load(config[:ini])
@@ -83,7 +88,11 @@ def run
       db_user = config[:user]
       db_pass = config[:password]
     end
-    db = Mysql.real_connect(config[:hostname], db_user, db_pass, config[:database], config[:port].to_i, config[:socket])
+    db = Mysql.init
+    if config[:default_charset]
+      db.options Mysql::SET_CHARSET_NAME, config[:default_charset]
+    end
+    db.real_connect(config[:hostname], db_user, db_pass, config[:database], config[:port].to_i, config[:socket])
     max_con = db
               .query("SHOW VARIABLES LIKE 'max_connections'")
               .fetch_hash
diff --git a/bin/check-mysql-replication-status.rb b/bin/check-mysql-replication-status.rb
index 668681b..647dcb5 100755
--- a/bin/check-mysql-replication-status.rb
+++ b/bin/check-mysql-replication-status.rb
@@ -69,6 +69,11 @@ class CheckMysqlReplicationStatus < Sensu::Plugin::Check::CLI
          long: '--master-connection=VALUE',
          description: 'Replication master connection name'
 
+  option :default_charset,
+         short: '-D',
+         long: '--default_charset=VALUE',
+         description: 'Provide custom charset for connection'
+
   option :ini,
          short: '-i',
          long: '--ini VALUE',
@@ -131,7 +136,11 @@ def run
     end
 
     begin
-      db = Mysql.new(db_host, db_user, db_pass, nil, config[:port], config[:socket])
+      db = Mysql.init
+      if config[:default_charset]
+        db.options Mysql::SET_CHARSET_NAME, config[:default_charset]
+      end
+      db.real_connect(db_host, db_user, db_pass, nil, config[:port], config[:socket])
 
       results = if db_conn.nil?
                   db.query 'SHOW SLAVE STATUS'
diff --git a/bin/check-mysql-select-count.rb b/bin/check-mysql-select-count.rb
index 5d7841d..22e4249 100755
--- a/bin/check-mysql-select-count.rb
+++ b/bin/check-mysql-select-count.rb
@@ -80,6 +80,11 @@ class MysqlSelectCountCheck < Sensu::Plugin::Check::CLI
          description: 'Query to execute',
          required: true
 
+  option :default_charset,
+         short: '-D',
+         long: '--default_charset=VALUE',
+         description: 'Provide custom charset for connection'
+
   def run
     if config[:ini]
       ini = IniFile.load(config[:ini])
@@ -94,7 +99,11 @@ def run
     end
     raise 'Please specify hostname using -h or in mysql.cnf file' unless config[:host]
 
-    db = Mysql.real_connect(config[:host], db_user, db_pass, config[:database], config[:port], config[:socket])
+    db = Mysql.init
+    if config[:default_charset]
+      db.options Mysql::SET_CHARSET_NAME, config[:default_charset]
+    end
+    db.real_connect(config[:hostname], db_user, db_pass, config[:database], config[:port].to_i, config[:socket])
 
     count = db.query(config[:query]).fetch_row[0].to_i
     if count >= config[:crit]