--- doc/install/linux/install.pl	2021/03/18 21:40:03	1.73
+++ doc/install/linux/install.pl	2021/03/26 18:38:03	1.75
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ if (!open(LOG,">>loncapa_install.log"))
           &mt('Stopping execution.')."\n";
     exit;
 } else {
-    print LOG '$Id: install.pl,v 1.73 2021/03/18 21:40:03 raeburn Exp $'."\n";
+    print LOG '$Id: install.pl,v 1.75 2021/03/26 18:38:03 raeburn Exp $'."\n";
 }
 
 #
@@ -886,13 +886,13 @@ sub uses_firewalld {
     }
     if ($checkfirewalld) {
         my ($loaded,$active);
-        if (open(PIPE,"systemctl status firewalld |")) {
+        if (open(PIPE,"systemctl status firewalld 2>/dev/null |")) {
             while (<PIPE>) {
                 chomp();
                 if (/^\s*Loaded:\s+(\w+)/) {
                     $loaded = $1;
                 }
-                if (/^\s*Active\s+(\w+)/) {
+                if (/^\s*Active:\s+(\w+)/) {
                     $active = $1;
                 }
             }
@@ -2047,7 +2047,7 @@ if ($callsub{'pwauth'}) {
 if ($callsub{'mysql'}) {
     if ($dbh) {
         &setup_mysql($callsub{'mysqlperms'},$dbh,$has_pass,
-                     $mysql_unix_socket,$has_lcdb);
+                     $mysql_unix_socket,$has_lcdb,$distro);
     } else {
         print &mt('Unable to configure MySQL because access is denied.')."\n";
     }
@@ -2518,10 +2518,20 @@ sub kill_extra_services {
 }
 
 sub setup_mysql {
-    my ($setup_mysql_permissions,$dbh,$has_pass,$mysql_unix_socket,$has_lcdb) = @_;
+    my ($setup_mysql_permissions,$dbh,$has_pass,$mysql_unix_socket,$has_lcdb,$distro) = @_;
     my @mysql_lc_commands;
     unless ($has_lcdb) {
-        push(@mysql_lc_commands,"CREATE DATABASE loncapa");
+        my $createcmd = 'CREATE DATABASE loncapa';
+        if ($distro =~ /^sles(\d+)/) {
+            if ($1 > 11) {
+                $createcmd .= ' CHARACTER SET utf8 COLLATE utf8_general_ci';
+            }
+        } elsif ($distro =~ /^ubuntu(\d+)/) {
+            if ($1 > 16) {
+                $createcmd .= ' CHARACTER SET latin1 COLLATE latin1_swedish_ci';
+            }
+        }
+        push(@mysql_lc_commands,$createcmd);
     }
     push(@mysql_lc_commands,"USE loncapa");
     push(@mysql_lc_commands,qq{