diff --git a/flask_website/database.py b/flask_website/database.py
index 7294e3ee..29056e6a 100644
--- a/flask_website/database.py
+++ b/flask_website/database.py
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ from flask import url_for
 from flask_website import config
 
 engine = create_engine(config.DATABASE_URI, convert_unicode=True,
-                       use_native_unicode=True)
+                       use_native_unicode=False)
 db_session = scoped_session(sessionmaker(autocommit=False,
                                          autoflush=False,
                                          bind=engine))