diff --git a/scripts/port_from_sqlite_to_postgres.py b/scripts/port_from_sqlite_to_postgres.py
index 3296f1f54f..da760af087 100644
--- a/scripts/port_from_sqlite_to_postgres.py
+++ b/scripts/port_from_sqlite_to_postgres.py
@@ -283,6 +283,10 @@ class Porter(object):
             self.sqlite_store = Store(sqlite_db_pool, sqlite_engine)
             self.postgres_store = Store(postgres_db_pool, postgres_engine)
 
+            yield self.postgres_store.execute(
+                postgres_engine.check_database
+            )
+
             # Step 1. Set up databases.
             self.progress.set_state("Preparing SQLite3")
             self.setup_db(sqlite_config, sqlite_engine)
diff --git a/synapse/app/homeserver.py b/synapse/app/homeserver.py
index 694a0125ad..29a1bf1d70 100755
--- a/synapse/app/homeserver.py
+++ b/synapse/app/homeserver.py
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
 import sys
 sys.dont_write_bytecode = True
 
-from synapse.storage.engines import create_engine
+from synapse.storage.engines import create_engine, IncorrectDatabaseSetup
 from synapse.storage import (
     are_all_users_on_domain, UpgradeDatabaseException,
 )
@@ -245,15 +245,27 @@ class SynapseHomeServer(HomeServer):
             db_conn.cursor(), database_engine, self.hostname
         )
         if not all_users_native:
-            sys.stderr.write(
-                "\n"
-                "******************************************************\n"
+            quit_with_error(
                 "Found users in database not native to %s!\n"
-                "You cannot changed a synapse server_name after it's been configured\n"
-                "******************************************************\n"
-                "\n" % (self.hostname,)
+                "You cannot changed a synapse server_name after it's been configured"
+                % (self.hostname,)
             )
-            sys.exit(1)
+
+        try:
+            database_engine.check_database(db_conn.cursor())
+        except IncorrectDatabaseSetup as e:
+            quit_with_error(e.message)
+
+
+def quit_with_error(error_string):
+    message_lines = error_string.split("\n")
+    line_length = max([len(l) for l in message_lines]) + 2
+    sys.stderr.write("*" * line_length + '\n')
+    for line in message_lines:
+        if line.strip():
+            sys.stderr.write(" %s\n" % (line.strip(),))
+    sys.stderr.write("*" * line_length + '\n')
+    sys.exit(1)
 
 
 def get_version_string():
diff --git a/synapse/storage/engines/__init__.py b/synapse/storage/engines/__init__.py
index eb76df7f01..bd3c8f9452 100644
--- a/synapse/storage/engines/__init__.py
+++ b/synapse/storage/engines/__init__.py
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
 # See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 # limitations under the License.
 
+from ._base import IncorrectDatabaseSetup
 from .postgres import PostgresEngine
 from .sqlite3 import Sqlite3Engine
 
@@ -35,3 +36,6 @@ def create_engine(name):
     raise RuntimeError(
         "Unsupported database engine '%s'" % (name,)
     )
+
+
+__all__ = ["create_engine", "IncorrectDatabaseSetup"]
diff --git a/synapse/storage/engines/_base.py b/synapse/storage/engines/_base.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..0b549d314b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/synapse/storage/engines/_base.py
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
+# Copyright 2015 OpenMarket Ltd
+#
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+# you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+# You may obtain a copy of the License at
+#
+#     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+# WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+# See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+# limitations under the License.
+
+
+class IncorrectDatabaseSetup(RuntimeError):
+    pass
diff --git a/synapse/storage/engines/postgres.py b/synapse/storage/engines/postgres.py
index b8cca9b187..7125f66f01 100644
--- a/synapse/storage/engines/postgres.py
+++ b/synapse/storage/engines/postgres.py
@@ -15,12 +15,24 @@
 
 from synapse.storage import prepare_database
 
+from ._base import IncorrectDatabaseSetup
+
 
 class PostgresEngine(object):
     def __init__(self, database_module):
         self.module = database_module
         self.module.extensions.register_type(self.module.extensions.UNICODE)
 
+    def check_database(self, txn):
+        txn.execute("SHOW SERVER_ENCODING")
+        rows = txn.fetchall()
+        if rows and rows[0][0] != "UTF8":
+            raise IncorrectDatabaseSetup(
+                "Database has incorrect encoding: '%s' instead of 'UTF8'\n"
+                "See docs/postgres.rst for more information."
+                % (rows[0][0],)
+            )
+
     def convert_param_style(self, sql):
         return sql.replace("?", "%s")
 
diff --git a/synapse/storage/engines/sqlite3.py b/synapse/storage/engines/sqlite3.py
index f62d5d1205..7b49157cbd 100644
--- a/synapse/storage/engines/sqlite3.py
+++ b/synapse/storage/engines/sqlite3.py
@@ -20,6 +20,9 @@ class Sqlite3Engine(object):
     def __init__(self, database_module):
         self.module = database_module
 
+    def check_database(self, txn):
+        pass
+
     def convert_param_style(self, sql):
         return sql