diff --git a/configs/development.ini b/configs/development.ini
--- a/configs/development.ini
+++ b/configs/development.ini
@@ -529,7 +529,6 @@ sqlalchemy.db1.url = sqlite:///%(here)s/
 sqlalchemy.db1.echo = false
 ## recycle the connections after this amount of seconds
 sqlalchemy.db1.pool_recycle = 3600
-sqlalchemy.db1.convert_unicode = true
 
 ## the number of connections to keep open inside the connection pool.
 ## 0 indicates no limit
diff --git a/configs/production.ini b/configs/production.ini
--- a/configs/production.ini
+++ b/configs/production.ini
@@ -502,7 +502,6 @@ sqlalchemy.db1.url = postgresql://postgr
 sqlalchemy.db1.echo = false
 ## recycle the connections after this amount of seconds
 sqlalchemy.db1.pool_recycle = 3600
-sqlalchemy.db1.convert_unicode = true
 
 ## the number of connections to keep open inside the connection pool.
 ## 0 indicates no limit
diff --git a/docs/install/database-string.rst b/docs/install/database-string.rst
--- a/docs/install/database-string.rst
+++ b/docs/install/database-string.rst
@@ -35,4 +35,3 @@ 2. When you open the file, find the data
     # see sqlalchemy docs for other advanced settings
     sqlalchemy.db1.echo = false
     sqlalchemy.db1.pool_recycle = 3600
-    sqlalchemy.db1.convert_unicode = true
diff --git a/rhodecode/tests/rhodecode.ini b/rhodecode/tests/rhodecode.ini
--- a/rhodecode/tests/rhodecode.ini
+++ b/rhodecode/tests/rhodecode.ini
@@ -464,7 +464,6 @@ sqlalchemy.db1.url = sqlite:///%(here)s/
 sqlalchemy.db1.echo = false
 ## recycle the connections after this amount of seconds
 sqlalchemy.db1.pool_recycle = 3600
-sqlalchemy.db1.convert_unicode = true
 
 ## the number of connections to keep open inside the connection pool.
 ## 0 indicates no limit