diff --git a/core/database/check.go b/core/database/check.go
index 517c41d0..21cb5464 100644
--- a/core/database/check.go
+++ b/core/database/check.go
@@ -22,11 +22,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/documize/community/server/web"
 )
 
-// sql variantsa
-const sqlVariantMySQL string = "MySQL"
-const sqlVariantPercona string = "Percona"
-const sqlVariantMariaDB string = "MariaDB"
-
 var dbCheckOK bool // default false
 
 // Check that the database is configured correctly and that all the required tables exist.
@@ -66,8 +61,8 @@ func Check(runtime *env.Runtime) bool {
 	// Get SQL variant as this affects minimum version checking logic.
 	// MySQL and Percona share same version scheme (e..g 5.7.10).
 	// MariaDB starts at 10.2.x
-	sqlVariant := GetSQLVariant(dbComment)
-	runtime.Log.Info("Database checks: SQL variant " + sqlVariant)
+	runtime.DbVariant = GetSQLVariant(dbComment)
+	runtime.Log.Info(fmt.Sprintf("Database checks: SQL variant %v", runtime.DbVariant))
 	runtime.Log.Info("Database checks: SQL version " + version)
 
 	verNums, err := GetSQLVersion(version)
@@ -77,7 +72,7 @@ func Check(runtime *env.Runtime) bool {
 
 	// Check minimum MySQL version as we need JSON column type.
 	verInts := []int{5, 7, 10} // Minimum MySQL version
-	if sqlVariant == sqlVariantMariaDB {
+	if runtime.DbVariant == env.DBVariantMariaDB {
 		verInts = []int{10, 2, 0} // Minimum MariaDB version
 	}
 
@@ -93,8 +88,8 @@ func Check(runtime *env.Runtime) bool {
 
 	{ // check the MySQL character set and collation
 		if charset != "utf8" && charset != "utf8mb4" {
-			runtime.Log.Error("MySQL character set not utf8:", errors.New(charset))
-			web.SiteInfo.Issue = "MySQL character set not utf8: " + charset
+			runtime.Log.Error("MySQL character set not utf8/utf8mb4:", errors.New(charset))
+			web.SiteInfo.Issue = "MySQL character set not utf8/utf8mb4: " + charset
 			runtime.Flags.SiteMode = env.SiteModeBadDB
 			return false
 		}
@@ -147,15 +142,15 @@ func Check(runtime *env.Runtime) bool {
 }
 
 // GetSQLVariant uses database value form @@version_comment to deduce MySQL variant.
-func GetSQLVariant(vc string) string {
+func GetSQLVariant(vc string) env.DbVariant {
 	vc = strings.ToLower(vc)
 
 	if strings.Contains(vc, "mariadb") {
-		return sqlVariantMariaDB
+		return env.DBVariantMariaDB
 	} else if strings.Contains(vc, "percona") {
-		return sqlVariantPercona
+		return env.DBVariantPercona
 	} else if strings.Contains(vc, "mysql") {
-		return sqlVariantMySQL
+		return env.DbVariantMySQL
 	}
 
 	return "UNKNOWN"
diff --git a/core/database/migrate.go b/core/database/migrate.go
index 17b4dc73..dc945d8b 100644
--- a/core/database/migrate.go
+++ b/core/database/migrate.go
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ func (m migrationsT) migrate(runtime *env.Runtime, tx *sqlx.Tx) error {
 			return err
 		}
 
-		err = processSQLfile(tx, buf)
+		err = processSQLfile(tx, runtime.DbVariant, buf)
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
@@ -247,10 +247,15 @@ func Migrate(runtime *env.Runtime, ConfigTableExists bool) error {
 	return migrateEnd(runtime, tx, nil, amLeader)
 }
 
-func processSQLfile(tx *sqlx.Tx, buf []byte) error {
+func processSQLfile(tx *sqlx.Tx, v env.DbVariant, buf []byte) error {
 	stmts := getStatements(buf)
 
 	for _, stmt := range stmts {
+		// MariaDB has no specific JSON column type (but has JSON queries)
+		if v == env.DBVariantMariaDB {
+			stmt = strings.Replace(stmt, "` JSON", "` TEXT", -1)
+		}
+
 		_, err := tx.Exec(stmt)
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
diff --git a/core/env/runtime.go b/core/env/runtime.go
index 3dde6652..9e5588b5 100644
--- a/core/env/runtime.go
+++ b/core/env/runtime.go
@@ -17,10 +17,11 @@ import "github.com/jmoiron/sqlx"
 // Runtime provides access to database, logger and other server-level scoped objects.
 // Use Context for per-request values.
 type Runtime struct {
-	Flags   Flags
-	Db      *sqlx.DB
-	Log     Logger
-	Product ProdInfo
+	Flags     Flags
+	Db        *sqlx.DB
+	DbVariant DbVariant
+	Log       Logger
+	Product   ProdInfo
 }
 
 const (
@@ -33,3 +34,15 @@ const (
 	// SiteModeBadDB redirects to db-error.html page
 	SiteModeBadDB = "3"
 )
+
+// DbVariant details SQL database variant
+type DbVariant string
+
+const (
+	// DbVariantMySQL is MySQL
+	DbVariantMySQL DbVariant = "MySQL"
+	// DBVariantPercona is Percona
+	DBVariantPercona DbVariant = "Percona"
+	// DBVariantMariaDB is MariaDB
+	DBVariantMariaDB DbVariant = "MariaDB"
+)