diff --git a/mysql-test/include/world_schema.inc b/mysql-test/include/world_schema.inc
index c683faf0114..bd7b768e83b 100644
--- a/mysql-test/include/world_schema.inc
+++ b/mysql-test/include/world_schema.inc
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ CREATE TABLE Country (
   Capital int(11) default NULL,
   PRIMARY KEY  (Code),
   UNIQUE INDEX (Name)
-);
+) COLLATE latin1_bin;
 CREATE TABLE City (
   ID int(11) NOT NULL auto_increment,
   Name char(35) NOT NULL default '',
@@ -15,11 +15,11 @@ CREATE TABLE City (
   PRIMARY KEY  (ID),
   INDEX (Population),
   INDEX (Country) 
-);
+) COLLATE latin1_bin;
 CREATE TABLE CountryLanguage (
   Country char(3) NOT NULL default '',
   Language char(30) NOT NULL default '',
   Percentage float(3,1) NOT NULL default '0.0',
   PRIMARY KEY  (Country, Language),
   INDEX (Percentage)
-);
+) COLLATE latin1_bin; 
diff --git a/mysql-test/include/world_schema1.inc b/mysql-test/include/world_schema1.inc
index 172e79a7c8c..48448b5c1d8 100644
--- a/mysql-test/include/world_schema1.inc
+++ b/mysql-test/include/world_schema1.inc
@@ -4,15 +4,15 @@ CREATE TABLE Country (
   SurfaceArea float(10,2) NOT NULL default '0.00',
   Population int(11) NOT NULL default '0',
   Capital int(11) default NULL
-);
+) COLLATE latin1_bin;
 CREATE TABLE City (
   ID int(11) NOT NULL,
   Name char(35) NOT NULL default '',
   Country char(3) NOT NULL default '',
   Population int(11) NOT NULL default '0'
-);
+) COLLATE latin1_bin;
 CREATE TABLE CountryLanguage (
   Country char(3) NOT NULL default '',
   Language char(30) NOT NULL default '',
   Percentage float(3,1) NOT NULL default '0.0'
-);
+) COLLATE latin1_bin;
diff --git a/mysql-test/r/join_cache.result b/mysql-test/r/join_cache.result
index e0543fd085b..3c352386b8a 100644
--- a/mysql-test/r/join_cache.result
+++ b/mysql-test/r/join_cache.result
@@ -12,18 +12,18 @@ Name char(52) NOT NULL default '',
 SurfaceArea float(10,2) NOT NULL default '0.00',
 Population int(11) NOT NULL default '0',
 Capital int(11) default NULL
-);
+) COLLATE latin1_bin;
 CREATE TABLE City (
 ID int(11) NOT NULL,
 Name char(35) NOT NULL default '',
 Country char(3) NOT NULL default '',
 Population int(11) NOT NULL default '0'
-);
+) COLLATE latin1_bin;
 CREATE TABLE CountryLanguage (
 Country char(3) NOT NULL default '',
 Language char(30) NOT NULL default '',
 Percentage float(3,1) NOT NULL default '0.0'
-);
+) COLLATE latin1_bin;
 SELECT COUNT(*) FROM Country;
 COUNT(*)
 239
@@ -810,7 +810,7 @@ Population int(11) NOT NULL default '0',
 Capital int(11) default NULL,
 PRIMARY KEY  (Code),
 UNIQUE INDEX (Name)
-);
+) COLLATE latin1_bin;
 CREATE TABLE City (
 ID int(11) NOT NULL auto_increment,
 Name char(35) NOT NULL default '',
@@ -819,14 +819,14 @@ Population int(11) NOT NULL default '0',
 PRIMARY KEY  (ID),
 INDEX (Population),
 INDEX (Country) 
-);
+) COLLATE latin1_bin;
 CREATE TABLE CountryLanguage (
 Country char(3) NOT NULL default '',
 Language char(30) NOT NULL default '',
 Percentage float(3,1) NOT NULL default '0.0',
 PRIMARY KEY  (Country, Language),
 INDEX (Percentage)
-);
+) COLLATE latin1_bin;
 show variables like 'join_buffer_size';
 Variable_name	Value
 join_buffer_size	131072
@@ -5469,7 +5469,7 @@ SET SESSION join_buffer_size=DEFAULT;
 CREATE TABLE t1 (
 pk int NOT NULL, i int NOT NULL, v  varchar(1) NOT NULL,
 PRIMARY KEY (pk), INDEX idx1(i), INDEX idx2 (v,i)
-);
+) COLLATE latin1_bin;
 INSERT INTO t1 VALUES
 (10,8,'v'), (11,8,'f'), (12,5,'v'), (13,8,'s'), (14,8,'a'),
 (15,6,'p'), (16,7,'z'), (17,2,'a'), (18,5,'h'), (19,7,'h'),
@@ -5477,16 +5477,16 @@ INSERT INTO t1 VALUES
 CREATE TABLE t2 (
 pk int NOT NULL, i int NOT NULL, v varchar(1) NOT NULL,
 PRIMARY KEY (pk), INDEX idx1(i), INDEX idx2(v,i)
-);
+) COLLATE latin1_bin;
 INSERT INTO t2 VALUES
 (10,8,'v'), (11,8,'f'), (12,5,'v'), (13,8,'s'), (14,8,'a'),
 (15,6,'p'), (16,7,'z'), (17,2,'a'), (18,5,'h'), (19,7,'h'),
 (20,2,'v'), (21,9,'v'), (22,142,'b'), (23,3,'y'), (24,0,'v'),
 (25,3,'m'), (26,5,'z'), (27,9,'n'), (28,1,'d'), (29,107,'a');
 CREATE TABLE t3 (
-pk int NOT NULL, i int(11) NOT NULL,  v varchar(1) NOT NULL,
+pk int NOT NULL, i int NOT NULL,  v varchar(1) NOT NULL,
 PRIMARY KEY (pk), INDEX idx1(i), INDEX idx2(v,i)
-);
+) COLLATE latin1_bin;
 INSERT INTO t3 VALUES
 (1,9,'x'), (2,5,'g'), (3,1,'o'), (4,0,'g'), (5,1,'v'),
 (6,190,'m'), (7,6,'x'), (8,3,'c'), (9,4,'z'), (10,3,'i'),
@@ -5542,4 +5542,51 @@ v
 p
 DROP TABLE t1,t2,t3;
 SET SESSION join_cache_level=DEFAULT;
+#
+# Bug #668290: hash join with non-binary collations 
+#
+CREATE TABLE t1 (
+i int DEFAULT NULL,
+cl varchar(10) CHARACTER SET latin1 DEFAULT NULL,
+cu varchar(10) CHARACTER SET utf8 DEFAULT NULL,
+INDEX cl (cl),
+INDEX cu (cu)
+);
+INSERT INTO t1 VALUES
+(650903552,'cmxffkpsel','z'), (535298048,'tvtjrcmxff','y'),
+(1626865664,'when','for'), (39649280,'rcvljitvtj','ercvljitvt'),
+(792068096,'ttercvljit','jttercvlji');
+INSERT INTO t1 SELECT * FROM t1;
+CREATE TABLE t2 (
+cu varchar(10) CHARACTER SET utf8 DEFAULT NULL,
+i int DEFAULT NULL,
+cl varchar(10) CHARACTER SET latin1 DEFAULT NULL,
+INDEX cu (cu),
+INDEX cl (cl)
+);
+INSERT INTO t2 VALUES 
+('g',7,'like'), ('fujttercvl',6,'y'),
+('s',2,'e'), ('didn\'t',0,'v'),
+  ('gvdrodpedk',8,'chogvdrodp'), ('jichogvdro',7,'will');
+EXPLAIN
+SELECT t2.i FROM t1,t2 WHERE t1.cu = t2.cl ;
+id	select_type	table	type	possible_keys	key	key_len	ref	rows	Extra
+1	SIMPLE	t2	ALL	NULL	NULL	NULL	NULL	6	
+1	SIMPLE	t1	ref	cu	cu	33	func	2	Using where; Using index
+SELECT t2.i FROM t1,t2 WHERE t1.cu = t2.cl ;
+i
+6
+6
+SET SESSION join_cache_level = 4;
+EXPLAIN
+SELECT t2.i FROM t1,t2 WHERE t1.cu = t2.cl ;
+id	select_type	table	type	possible_keys	key	key_len	ref	rows	Extra
+1	SIMPLE	t2	ALL	NULL	NULL	NULL	NULL	6	
+1	SIMPLE	t1	ref	cu	cu	33	func	2	Using where; Using index
+SELECT t2.i FROM t1,t2 WHERE t1.cu = t2.cl ;
+i
+6
+6
+SET SESSION join_cache_level = DEFAULT;
+DROP TABLE t1,t2;
 set @@optimizer_switch=@save_optimizer_switch;
diff --git a/mysql-test/t/join_cache.test b/mysql-test/t/join_cache.test
index 010abed3c2b..48a2cd1d4a8 100644
--- a/mysql-test/t/join_cache.test
+++ b/mysql-test/t/join_cache.test
@@ -2192,7 +2192,7 @@ SET SESSION join_buffer_size=DEFAULT;
 CREATE TABLE t1 (
   pk int NOT NULL, i int NOT NULL, v  varchar(1) NOT NULL,
   PRIMARY KEY (pk), INDEX idx1(i), INDEX idx2 (v,i)
-);
+) COLLATE latin1_bin;
 INSERT INTO t1 VALUES
   (10,8,'v'), (11,8,'f'), (12,5,'v'), (13,8,'s'), (14,8,'a'),
   (15,6,'p'), (16,7,'z'), (17,2,'a'), (18,5,'h'), (19,7,'h'),
@@ -2201,7 +2201,7 @@ INSERT INTO t1 VALUES
 CREATE TABLE t2 (
   pk int NOT NULL, i int NOT NULL, v varchar(1) NOT NULL,
   PRIMARY KEY (pk), INDEX idx1(i), INDEX idx2(v,i)
-);
+) COLLATE latin1_bin;
 INSERT INTO t2 VALUES
   (10,8,'v'), (11,8,'f'), (12,5,'v'), (13,8,'s'), (14,8,'a'),
   (15,6,'p'), (16,7,'z'), (17,2,'a'), (18,5,'h'), (19,7,'h'),
@@ -2209,9 +2209,9 @@ INSERT INTO t2 VALUES
   (25,3,'m'), (26,5,'z'), (27,9,'n'), (28,1,'d'), (29,107,'a');
 
 CREATE TABLE t3 (
-  pk int NOT NULL, i int(11) NOT NULL,  v varchar(1) NOT NULL,
+  pk int NOT NULL, i int NOT NULL,  v varchar(1) NOT NULL,
   PRIMARY KEY (pk), INDEX idx1(i), INDEX idx2(v,i)
-);
+) COLLATE latin1_bin;
 INSERT INTO t3 VALUES
   (1,9,'x'), (2,5,'g'), (3,1,'o'), (4,0,'g'), (5,1,'v'),
   (6,190,'m'), (7,6,'x'), (8,3,'c'), (9,4,'z'), (10,3,'i'),
@@ -2243,5 +2243,48 @@ DROP TABLE t1,t2,t3;
 
 SET SESSION join_cache_level=DEFAULT;
 
+--echo #
+--echo # Bug #668290: hash join with non-binary collations 
+--echo #
+
+CREATE TABLE t1 (
+  i int DEFAULT NULL,
+  cl varchar(10) CHARACTER SET latin1 DEFAULT NULL,
+  cu varchar(10) CHARACTER SET utf8 DEFAULT NULL,
+  INDEX cl (cl),
+  INDEX cu (cu)
+);
+INSERT INTO t1 VALUES
+  (650903552,'cmxffkpsel','z'), (535298048,'tvtjrcmxff','y'),
+  (1626865664,'when','for'), (39649280,'rcvljitvtj','ercvljitvt'),
+  (792068096,'ttercvljit','jttercvlji');
+INSERT INTO t1 SELECT * FROM t1;
+
+CREATE TABLE t2 (
+  cu varchar(10) CHARACTER SET utf8 DEFAULT NULL,
+  i int DEFAULT NULL,
+  cl varchar(10) CHARACTER SET latin1 DEFAULT NULL,
+  INDEX cu (cu),
+  INDEX cl (cl)
+);
+INSERT INTO t2 VALUES 
+  ('g',7,'like'), ('fujttercvl',6,'y'),
+  ('s',2,'e'), ('didn\'t',0,'v'),
+  ('gvdrodpedk',8,'chogvdrodp'), ('jichogvdro',7,'will');
+
+EXPLAIN
+SELECT t2.i FROM t1,t2 WHERE t1.cu = t2.cl ;
+SELECT t2.i FROM t1,t2 WHERE t1.cu = t2.cl ;
+
+SET SESSION join_cache_level = 4;
+
+EXPLAIN
+SELECT t2.i FROM t1,t2 WHERE t1.cu = t2.cl ;
+SELECT t2.i FROM t1,t2 WHERE t1.cu = t2.cl ;
+
+SET SESSION join_cache_level = DEFAULT;
+
+DROP TABLE t1,t2;
+
 # this must be the last command in the file
 set @@optimizer_switch=@save_optimizer_switch;
diff --git a/sql/field.h b/sql/field.h
index ca400caac59..a5f3ae6ba13 100644
--- a/sql/field.h
+++ b/sql/field.h
@@ -585,6 +585,10 @@ public:
   }
   /* Hash value */
   virtual void hash(ulong *nr, ulong *nr2);
+
+  /* Check whether the field can be used as a join attribute in hash join */
+  virtual bool hash_join_is_possible() { return TRUE; }
+
   friend bool reopen_table(THD *,struct st_table *,bool);
   friend int cre_myisam(char * name, register TABLE *form, uint options,
 			ulonglong auto_increment_value);
@@ -760,6 +764,12 @@ public:
   my_decimal *val_decimal(my_decimal *);
   virtual bool str_needs_quotes() { return TRUE; }
   uint is_equal(Create_field *new_field);
+
+  bool hash_join_is_possible()
+  {
+    /* TODO: support hash joins for non-binary collations */
+    return (flags & BINARY_FLAG);
+  }
 };
 
 
@@ -1904,6 +1914,7 @@ public:
   uint size_of() const { return sizeof(*this); }
   int  reset(void) { return !maybe_null() || Field_blob::reset(); }
   geometry_type get_geometry_type() { return geom_type; };
+  bool hash_join_is_possible() { return FALSE; }
 };
 #endif /*HAVE_SPATIAL*/
 
diff --git a/sql/sql_select.cc b/sql/sql_select.cc
index 95ba424ee97..f4a86baa253 100644
--- a/sql/sql_select.cc
+++ b/sql/sql_select.cc
@@ -5946,6 +5946,39 @@ void JOIN_TAB::calc_used_field_length(bool max_fl)
 }
 
 
+/**
+  @brief
+  Check whether hash join algorithm can be used to join this table   
+
+  @details
+  This function finds out whether the ref items that have been chosen
+  by the planner to access this table can be used for hash join algorithms.
+  The answer depends on a certain property of the the fields of the
+  joined tables on which the hash join key is built. If hash join is
+  allowed for all these fields the answer is positive.
+  
+  @note
+  The function is supposed to be called now only after the function
+  get_best_combination has been called.
+
+  @retval TRUE    it's possible to use hash join to join this table
+  @retval FALSE   otherwise
+*/
+
+bool JOIN_TAB::hash_join_is_possible()
+{
+  if (type != JT_REF && type != JT_EQ_REF)
+    return FALSE;
+  KEY *keyinfo= &table->key_info[ref.key];
+  for (uint i= 0; i < ref.key_parts; i++)
+  {
+    if (!keyinfo->key_part[i].field->hash_join_is_possible())
+      return FALSE;
+  }
+  return TRUE;
+}
+
+
 static uint
 cache_record_length(JOIN *join,uint idx)
 {
@@ -7649,8 +7682,10 @@ uint check_join_cache_usage(JOIN_TAB *tab,
                                                   &bufsz, &flags, &cost);
 
     if ((cache_level <=4 && !no_hashed_cache) || no_bka_cache ||
-         (flags & HA_MRR_NO_ASSOCIATION) && cache_level <=6)
+	((flags & HA_MRR_NO_ASSOCIATION) && cache_level <=6))
     {
+      if (!tab->hash_join_is_possible())
+        goto no_join_cache;
       if (cache_level == 3)
         prev_cache= 0;
       if ((tab->cache= new JOIN_CACHE_BNLH(join, tab, prev_cache)) &&
diff --git a/sql/sql_select.h b/sql/sql_select.h
index a57b5116bea..65e27466294 100644
--- a/sql/sql_select.h
+++ b/sql/sql_select.h
@@ -391,6 +391,7 @@ typedef struct st_join_table {
     return max_used_fieldlength;
   }
   double get_partial_join_cardinality() { return partial_join_cardinality; }
+  bool hash_join_is_possible();
 } JOIN_TAB;