diff --git a/mysql-test/r/federated.result b/mysql-test/r/federated.result
index 2b44fc8bd7e..f5fc97cda80 100644
--- a/mysql-test/r/federated.result
+++ b/mysql-test/r/federated.result
@@ -1815,6 +1815,34 @@ engine = federated
 connection='mysql://root@127.0.0.1:SLAVE_PORT/federated/test';
 drop table federated.test1, federated.test2;
 drop table federated.test;
+set names utf8;
+create table federated.t1 (a varchar(64)) DEFAULT CHARSET=utf8;
+insert into federated.t1 values (0x6DC3A56E6164);
+select hex(a) from federated.t1;
+hex(a)
+6DC3A56E6164
+set names utf8;
+create table federated.t1 (a varchar(64))
+ENGINE=FEDERATED 
+CONNECTION='mysql://root@127.0.0.1:9308/federated/t1'
+DEFAULT CHARSET=utf8;
+select hex(a) from federated.t1;
+hex(a)
+6DC3A56E6164
+insert into federated.t1 values (0xC3A4C3B6C3BCC39F);
+insert into federated.t1 values (0xD18DD184D184D0B5D0BAD182D0B8D0B2D0BDD183D18E);
+select hex(a) from federated.t1;
+hex(a)
+6DC3A56E6164
+C3A4C3B6C3BCC39F
+D18DD184D184D0B5D0BAD182D0B8D0B2D0BDD183D18E
+select hex(a) from federated.t1;
+hex(a)
+6DC3A56E6164
+C3A4C3B6C3BCC39F
+D18DD184D184D0B5D0BAD182D0B8D0B2D0BDD183D18E
+drop table federated.t1;
+drop table federated.t1;
 DROP TABLE IF EXISTS federated.t1;
 DROP DATABASE IF EXISTS federated;
 DROP TABLE IF EXISTS federated.t1;
diff --git a/mysql-test/t/federated.test b/mysql-test/t/federated.test
index c2218b3451b..c3912ad0d48 100644
--- a/mysql-test/t/federated.test
+++ b/mysql-test/t/federated.test
@@ -1544,4 +1544,35 @@ drop table federated.test1, federated.test2;
 connection slave;
 drop table federated.test;
 
+#
+# BUG# 17044 Federated Storage Engine not UTF8 clean
+#
+connection slave;
+set names utf8;
+create table federated.t1 (a varchar(64)) DEFAULT CHARSET=utf8;
+
+insert into federated.t1 values (0x6DC3A56E6164);
+select hex(a) from federated.t1;
+
+connection master;
+set names utf8;
+eval create table federated.t1 (a varchar(64))
+ENGINE=FEDERATED 
+CONNECTION='mysql://root@127.0.0.1:$SLAVE_MYPORT/federated/t1'
+DEFAULT CHARSET=utf8;
+select hex(a) from federated.t1;
+insert into federated.t1 values (0xC3A4C3B6C3BCC39F);
+insert into federated.t1 values (0xD18DD184D184D0B5D0BAD182D0B8D0B2D0BDD183D18E);
+select hex(a) from federated.t1;
+
+connection slave;
+select hex(a) from federated.t1;
+
+connection master;
+drop table federated.t1;
+
+connection slave;
+drop table federated.t1;
+
+
 source include/federated_cleanup.inc;
diff --git a/sql/ha_federated.cc b/sql/ha_federated.cc
index 7919519cdce..9eb572d8cb0 100644
--- a/sql/ha_federated.cc
+++ b/sql/ha_federated.cc
@@ -1435,6 +1435,16 @@ int ha_federated::open(const char *name, int mode, uint test_if_locked)
 
   /* Connect to foreign database mysql_real_connect() */
   mysql= mysql_init(0);
+
+  /*
+    BUG# 17044 Federated Storage Engine is not UTF8 clean
+    Add set names to whatever charset the table is at open
+    of table
+  */
+  /* this sets the csname like 'set names utf8' */
+  mysql_options(mysql,MYSQL_SET_CHARSET_NAME,
+                this->table->s->table_charset->csname);
+
   if (!mysql || !mysql_real_connect(mysql,
                                    share->hostname,
                                    share->username,
@@ -1451,6 +1461,7 @@ int ha_federated::open(const char *name, int mode, uint test_if_locked)
     API silently reconnect. For future versions, we will need more logic to
     deal with transactions
   */
+
   mysql->reconnect= 1;
 
   ref_length= (table->s->primary_key != MAX_KEY ?