diff --git a/terraform/gcp/modules/mysql-shard/mysql.tf b/terraform/gcp/modules/mysql-shard/mysql.tf
index 21a9d81a7..1746b5b08 100644
--- a/terraform/gcp/modules/mysql-shard/mysql.tf
+++ b/terraform/gcp/modules/mysql-shard/mysql.tf
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ resource "google_sql_database" "trillian" {
   name       = var.db_name
   project    = var.project_id
   instance   = google_sql_database_instance.trillian.name
-  collation  = "utf8_general_ci"
+  collation  = var.collation
   depends_on = [google_sql_database_instance.trillian]
 }
 
diff --git a/terraform/gcp/modules/mysql-shard/variables.tf b/terraform/gcp/modules/mysql-shard/variables.tf
index 41bb7cfaf..d98f5d7a4 100644
--- a/terraform/gcp/modules/mysql-shard/variables.tf
+++ b/terraform/gcp/modules/mysql-shard/variables.tf
@@ -122,3 +122,9 @@ variable "password" {
   description = "mysql password within the database"
   sensitive   = true
 }
+
+variable "collation" {
+  type        = string
+  description = "collation setting for database"
+  default     = "utf8_general_ci"
+}
diff --git a/terraform/gcp/modules/mysql/mysql.tf b/terraform/gcp/modules/mysql/mysql.tf
index f525222c3..dfba2fbff 100644
--- a/terraform/gcp/modules/mysql/mysql.tf
+++ b/terraform/gcp/modules/mysql/mysql.tf
@@ -180,7 +180,7 @@ resource "google_sql_database" "trillian" {
   name       = var.db_name
   project    = var.project_id
   instance   = google_sql_database_instance.sigstore.name
-  collation  = "utf8_general_ci"
+  collation  = var.collation
   depends_on = [google_sql_database_instance.sigstore]
 }
 
@@ -188,7 +188,7 @@ resource "google_sql_database" "searchindexes" {
   name       = var.index_db_name
   project    = var.project_id
   instance   = google_sql_database_instance.sigstore.name
-  collation  = "utf8_general_ci"
+  collation  = var.collation
   depends_on = [google_sql_database_instance.sigstore]
 }
 
diff --git a/terraform/gcp/modules/mysql/variables.tf b/terraform/gcp/modules/mysql/variables.tf
index 23cab47f0..f7ce7e1cb 100644
--- a/terraform/gcp/modules/mysql/variables.tf
+++ b/terraform/gcp/modules/mysql/variables.tf
@@ -121,3 +121,9 @@ variable "deletion_protection" {
   description = "Deletion protection for MYSQL database. Must be set to false for `terraform apply` or `terraform destroy` to delete the db."
   default     = true
 }
+
+variable "collation" {
+  type        = string
+  description = "collation setting for database"
+  default     = "utf8_general_ci"
+}
diff --git a/terraform/gcp/modules/sigstore/sigstore.tf b/terraform/gcp/modules/sigstore/sigstore.tf
index 3d0b8cbc3..e51ef637b 100644
--- a/terraform/gcp/modules/sigstore/sigstore.tf
+++ b/terraform/gcp/modules/sigstore/sigstore.tf
@@ -174,6 +174,7 @@ module "mysql" {
   database_version  = var.mysql_db_version
   tier              = var.mysql_tier
   availability_type = var.mysql_availability_type
+  collation         = var.mysql_collation
 
   replica_zones = var.mysql_replica_zones
   replica_tier  = var.mysql_replica_tier
@@ -373,6 +374,7 @@ module "ctlog_shards" {
   require_ssl               = var.mysql_require_ssl
   backup_enabled            = var.mysql_backup_enabled
   binary_log_backup_enabled = var.mysql_binary_log_backup_enabled
+  collation                 = var.mysql_collation
 
 
   depends_on = [
@@ -423,6 +425,7 @@ module "standalone_mysqls" {
   require_ssl               = var.mysql_require_ssl
   backup_enabled            = var.mysql_backup_enabled
   binary_log_backup_enabled = var.mysql_binary_log_backup_enabled
+  collation                 = var.mysql_collation
 
 
   depends_on = [
diff --git a/terraform/gcp/modules/sigstore/variables.tf b/terraform/gcp/modules/sigstore/variables.tf
index 4a3170fa5..89bac1f23 100644
--- a/terraform/gcp/modules/sigstore/variables.tf
+++ b/terraform/gcp/modules/sigstore/variables.tf
@@ -239,6 +239,12 @@ variable "mysql_binary_log_backup_enabled" {
   default     = true
 }
 
+variable "mysql_collation" {
+  type        = string
+  description = "collation setting for database"
+  default     = "utf8_general_ci"
+}
+
 variable "fulcio_keyring_name" {
   type        = string
   description = "Name of Fulcio keyring."