diff --git a/system/database/drivers/pdo/pdo_driver.php b/system/database/drivers/pdo/pdo_driver.php
index 10ef00c..a66a16e 100644
--- a/system/database/drivers/pdo/pdo_driver.php
+++ b/system/database/drivers/pdo/pdo_driver.php
@@ -57,7 +57,8 @@
 	 */
 	var $_count_string = "SELECT COUNT(*) AS ";
 	var $_random_keyword;
-
+	
+	var $options = array();
 
 	function __construct($params)
 	{
@@ -68,6 +69,15 @@
 		{
 			$this->_like_escape_str = '';
 			$this->_like_escape_chr = '';
+			
+			//Prior to this version, the charset can't be set in the dsn
+			if(is_php('5.3.6'))
+			{
+				$this->hostname .= ";charset={$this->char_set}";
+			}
+			
+			//Set the charset with the connection options
+			$this->options['PDO::MYSQL_ATTR_INIT_COMMAND'] = "SET NAMES {$this->char_set}";
 		}
 		else if (strpos($this->hostname, 'odbc') !== FALSE)
 		{
@@ -80,7 +90,8 @@
 			$this->_like_escape_chr = '!';
 		}
 		
-		$this->hostname = $this->hostname . ";dbname=".$this->database;
+		$this->hostname .= ";dbname=".$this->database;
+		
 		$this->trans_enabled = FALSE;
 
 		$this->_random_keyword = ' RND('.time().')'; // database specific random keyword
@@ -94,9 +105,9 @@
 	 */
 	function db_connect()
 	{
-		return new PDO($this->hostname,$this->username,$this->password, array(
-			PDO::ATTR_ERRMODE => PDO::ERRMODE_SILENT
-		));
+		$this->options['PDO::ATTR_ERRMODE'] = PDO::ERRMODE_SILENT;
+		
+		return new PDO($this->hostname, $this->username, $this->password, $this->options);
 	}
 
 	// --------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -109,10 +120,10 @@
 	 */
 	function db_pconnect()
 	{
-		return new PDO($this->hostname,$this->username,$this->password, array(
-			PDO::ATTR_ERRMODE => PDO::ERRMODE_SILENT,
-			PDO::ATTR_PERSISTENT => true
-		));
+		$this->options['PDO::ATTR_ERRMODE'] = PDO::ERRMODE_SILENT;
+		$this->options['PDO::ATTR_PERSISTENT'] = TRUE;
+	
+		return new PDO($this->hostname, $this->username, $this->password, $this->options);
 	}
 
 	// --------------------------------------------------------------------