diff --git a/django/db/backends/mysql/base.py b/django/db/backends/mysql/base.py
index 4594c07dc0..22007b673f 100644
--- a/django/db/backends/mysql/base.py
+++ b/django/db/backends/mysql/base.py
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ class DatabaseWrapper:
             self.connection = Database.connect(**kwargs)
         cursor = self.connection.cursor()
         if self.connection.get_server_info() >= '4.1':
-            cursor.execute("SET NAMES utf8")
+            cursor.execute("SET NAMES 'utf8'")
         if settings.DEBUG:
             return util.CursorDebugWrapper(MysqlDebugWrapper(cursor), self)
         return cursor