diff --git a/library/Icinga/Authentication/User/UserBackend.php b/library/Icinga/Authentication/User/UserBackend.php
index 954356819..13e688795 100644
--- a/library/Icinga/Authentication/User/UserBackend.php
+++ b/library/Icinga/Authentication/User/UserBackend.php
@@ -223,7 +223,12 @@ class UserBackend implements ConfigAwareFactory
             );
         }
 
-        $resource = ResourceFactory::create($backendConfig->resource);
+        $resourceConfig = ResourceFactory::getResourceConfig($backendConfig->resource);
+        if ($backendType === 'db') {
+            $resourceConfig->charset = 'utf8';
+        }
+
+        $resource = ResourceFactory::createResource($resourceConfig);
         switch ($backendType) {
             case 'db':
                 $backend = new DbUserBackend($resource);