diff --git a/defaults/main.yml b/defaults/main.yml
index 3a40c31e..f5320485 100644
--- a/defaults/main.yml
+++ b/defaults/main.yml
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ ironic_openstack_auth_strategy: keystone
 ironic_openstack_api_url: ''  # Not required when we have keystone
 ironic_openstack_dhcp_provider: neutron
 ironic_openstack_sync_power_state_interval: 60
-ironic_openstack_db_connection_string: "mysql://{{ ironic_galera_user }}:{{ ironic_galera_password }}@{{ ironic_galera_address }}/ironic"
+ironic_openstack_db_connection_string: "mysql+pymysql://{{ ironic_galera_user }}:{{ ironic_galera_password }}@{{ ironic_galera_address }}/ironic"
 
 # Standalone Ironic configuration
 ironic_standalone_driver_list: agent_ipmitool
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ ironic_standalone_auth_strategy: noauth
 ironic_standalone_api_url: "api_url=http://{{ ansible_default_ipv4['address'] }}:6385/"
 ironic_standalone_dhcp_provider: none
 ironic_standalone_sync_power_state_interval: -1
-ironic_standalone_db_connection_string: "mysql://{{ ironic_galera_user }}:{{ ironic_galera_password }}@{{ ironic_galera_address }}/ironic"
+ironic_standalone_db_connection_string: "mysql+pymysql://{{ ironic_galera_user }}:{{ ironic_galera_password }}@{{ ironic_galera_address }}/ironic"
 
 # Common configuration
 ironic_node_name: ironic
@@ -127,7 +127,7 @@ ironic_requires_pip_packages:
   - httplib2 # for Ansible's uri module
 
 ironic_pip_packages:
-  - MySQL-python
+  - PyMySQL
   - ironic
   - python-ironicclient