diff --git a/allianceauth/project_template/project_name/settings/local.py b/allianceauth/project_template/project_name/settings/local.py
index b16165b7..fe38338a 100644
--- a/allianceauth/project_template/project_name/settings/local.py
+++ b/allianceauth/project_template/project_name/settings/local.py
@@ -22,9 +22,7 @@ INSTALLED_APPS += [
     
 ]
 
-# Uncomment by removing the """ and change the database name and
-# credentials to use MySQL/MariaDB. Leave commented to use sqlite3
-"""
+# Enter credentials to use MySQL/MariaDB. Comment out to use sqlite3
 DATABASES['default'] = {
     'ENGINE': 'django.db.backends.mysql',
     'NAME': 'alliance_auth',
@@ -33,7 +31,6 @@ DATABASES['default'] = {
     'HOST': '127.0.0.1',
     'PORT': '3306',
 }
-"""
 
 # Register an application at https://developers.eveonline.com for Authentication
 # & API Access and fill out these settings. Be sure to set the callback URL
diff --git a/docs/installation/auth/allianceauth.md b/docs/installation/auth/allianceauth.md
index 69af806d..cef96fce 100644
--- a/docs/installation/auth/allianceauth.md
+++ b/docs/installation/auth/allianceauth.md
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ CentOS:
 Alliance Auth needs a MySQL user account and database. Open an SQL shell with `mysql -u root -p` and create them as follows, replacing `PASSWORD` with an actual secure password:
 
     CREATE USER 'allianceserver'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'PASSWORD';
-    CREATE DATABASE alliance_auth;
+    CREATE DATABASE alliance_auth CHARACTER SET utf8;
     GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON alliance_auth . * TO 'allianceserver'@'localhost';
 
 Close the SQL shell and secure your database server with the `mysql_secure_installation` command.