diff --git a/phpBB/includes/functions_install.php b/phpBB/includes/functions_install.php
index 47f4eac627..21dd8bfebe 100644
--- a/phpBB/includes/functions_install.php
+++ b/phpBB/includes/functions_install.php
@@ -309,7 +309,7 @@ function connect_check_db($error_connect, &$error, $dbms_details, $table_prefix,
 	if (is_array($db->sql_connect($dbhost, $dbuser, $dbpasswd, $dbname, $dbport, false, true)))
 	{
 		$db_error = $db->sql_error();
-		$error[] = $lang['INST_ERR_DB_CONNECT'] . '<br />' . (($db_error['message']) ? $db_error['message'] : $lang['INST_ERR_DB_NO_ERROR']);
+		$error[] = $lang['INST_ERR_DB_CONNECT'] . '<br />' . (($db_error['message']) ? utf8_convert_message($db_error['message']) : $lang['INST_ERR_DB_NO_ERROR']);
 	}
 	else
 	{