diff --git a/UPGRADE.md b/UPGRADE.md
index 175bc06df5a..239a8615426 100644
--- a/UPGRADE.md
+++ b/UPGRADE.md
@@ -8,6 +8,11 @@ awareness about deprecated code.
 
 # Upgrade to 4.0
 
+## Removed defaults for MySQL table charset, collation and engine
+
+The library no longer provides the default values for MySQL table charset, collation and engine.
+If omitted in the table definition, MySQL will derive the values from the database options.
+
 ## Removed `ReservedWordsCommand::setKeywordListClass()`
 
 To add or replace a keyword list, use `ReservedWordsCommand::setKeywordList()`.
diff --git a/src/Platforms/MySQLPlatform.php b/src/Platforms/MySQLPlatform.php
index b983c6177a4..148861de4c9 100644
--- a/src/Platforms/MySQLPlatform.php
+++ b/src/Platforms/MySQLPlatform.php
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@
 use function is_string;
 use function sprintf;
 use function str_replace;
+use function strcasecmp;
 use function strtoupper;
 use function trim;
 
@@ -335,26 +336,32 @@ protected function _getCreateTableSQL(string $name, array $columns, array $optio
             $queryFields .= ', PRIMARY KEY(' . implode(', ', $keyColumns) . ')';
         }
 
-        $query = 'CREATE ';
+        $sql = ['CREATE'];
 
         if (! empty($options['temporary'])) {
-            $query .= 'TEMPORARY ';
+            $sql[] = 'TEMPORARY';
         }
 
-        $query .= 'TABLE ' . $name . ' (' . $queryFields . ') ';
-        $query .= $this->buildTableOptions($options);
-        $query .= $this->buildPartitionOptions($options);
+        $sql[] = 'TABLE ' . $name . ' (' . $queryFields . ')';
 
-        $sql    = [$query];
-        $engine = 'INNODB';
+        $tableOptions = $this->buildTableOptions($options);
 
-        if (isset($options['engine'])) {
-            $engine = strtoupper(trim($options['engine']));
+        if ($tableOptions !== '') {
+            $sql[] = $tableOptions;
+        }
+
+        if (isset($options['partition_options'])) {
+            $sql[] = $options['partition_options'];
         }
 
+        $sql = [implode(' ', $sql)];
+
         // Propagate foreign key constraints only for InnoDB.
-        if (isset($options['foreignKeys']) && $engine === 'INNODB') {
-            foreach ((array) $options['foreignKeys'] as $definition) {
+        if (
+            isset($options['foreignKeys'])
+            && (! isset($options['engine']) || strcasecmp($options['engine'], 'InnoDB') === 0)
+        ) {
+            foreach ($options['foreignKeys'] as $definition) {
                 $sql[] = $this->getCreateForeignKeySQL($definition, $name);
             }
         }
@@ -388,27 +395,18 @@ private function buildTableOptions(array $options): string
 
         $tableOptions = [];
 
-        // Charset
-        if (! isset($options['charset'])) {
-            $options['charset'] = 'utf8';
+        if (isset($options['charset'])) {
+            $tableOptions[] = sprintf('DEFAULT CHARACTER SET %s', $options['charset']);
         }
 
-        $tableOptions[] = sprintf('DEFAULT CHARACTER SET %s', $options['charset']);
-
-        // Collate
-        if (! isset($options['collate'])) {
-            $options['collate'] = $options['charset'] . '_unicode_ci';
+        if (isset($options['collate'])) {
+            $tableOptions[] = $this->getColumnCollationDeclarationSQL($options['collate']);
         }
 
-        $tableOptions[] = $this->getColumnCollationDeclarationSQL($options['collate']);
-
-        // Engine
-        if (! isset($options['engine'])) {
-            $options['engine'] = 'InnoDB';
+        if (isset($options['engine'])) {
+            $tableOptions[] = sprintf('ENGINE = %s', $options['engine']);
         }
 
-        $tableOptions[] = sprintf('ENGINE = %s', $options['engine']);
-
         // Auto increment
         if (isset($options['auto_increment'])) {
             $tableOptions[] = sprintf('AUTO_INCREMENT = %s', $options['auto_increment']);
@@ -427,18 +425,6 @@ private function buildTableOptions(array $options): string
         return implode(' ', $tableOptions);
     }
 
-    /**
-     * Build SQL for partition options.
-     *
-     * @param mixed[] $options
-     */
-    private function buildPartitionOptions(array $options): string
-    {
-        return isset($options['partition_options'])
-            ? ' ' . $options['partition_options']
-            : '';
-    }
-
     /**
      * {@inheritDoc}
      */
diff --git a/tests/Functional/Schema/MySQLSchemaManagerTest.php b/tests/Functional/Schema/MySQLSchemaManagerTest.php
index bdb71c1fafe..5f0435983dc 100644
--- a/tests/Functional/Schema/MySQLSchemaManagerTest.php
+++ b/tests/Functional/Schema/MySQLSchemaManagerTest.php
@@ -204,7 +204,6 @@ public function testColumnCharset(): void
     {
         $table = new Table('test_column_charset');
         $table->addColumn('id', 'integer');
-        $table->addColumn('no_charset', 'text');
         $table->addColumn('foo', 'text')->setPlatformOption('charset', 'ascii');
         $table->addColumn('bar', 'text')->setPlatformOption('charset', 'latin1');
         $this->schemaManager->dropAndCreateTable($table);
@@ -212,7 +211,6 @@ public function testColumnCharset(): void
         $columns = $this->schemaManager->listTableColumns('test_column_charset');
 
         self::assertFalse($columns['id']->hasPlatformOption('charset'));
-        self::assertEquals('utf8', $columns['no_charset']->getPlatformOption('charset'));
         self::assertEquals('ascii', $columns['foo']->getPlatformOption('charset'));
         self::assertEquals('latin1', $columns['bar']->getPlatformOption('charset'));
     }
diff --git a/tests/Platforms/AbstractMySQLPlatformTestCase.php b/tests/Platforms/AbstractMySQLPlatformTestCase.php
index 8e3ae57d8dc..1d69a9e6b4d 100644
--- a/tests/Platforms/AbstractMySQLPlatformTestCase.php
+++ b/tests/Platforms/AbstractMySQLPlatformTestCase.php
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ public function testGenerateMixedCaseTableCreate(): void
 
         $sql = $this->platform->getCreateTableSQL($table);
         self::assertEquals(
-            'CREATE TABLE Foo (Bar INT NOT NULL) DEFAULT CHARACTER SET utf8 COLLATE `utf8_unicode_ci` ENGINE = InnoDB',
+            'CREATE TABLE Foo (Bar INT NOT NULL)',
             array_shift($sql)
         );
     }
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ public function testGenerateMixedCaseTableCreate(): void
     public function getGenerateTableSql(): string
     {
         return 'CREATE TABLE test (id INT AUTO_INCREMENT NOT NULL, test VARCHAR(255) DEFAULT NULL, '
-            . 'PRIMARY KEY(id)) DEFAULT CHARACTER SET utf8 COLLATE `utf8_unicode_ci` ENGINE = InnoDB';
+            . 'PRIMARY KEY(id))';
     }
 
     /**
@@ -52,8 +52,7 @@ public function getGenerateTableWithMultiColumnUniqueIndexSql(): array
     {
         return [
             'CREATE TABLE test (foo VARCHAR(255) DEFAULT NULL, bar VARCHAR(255) DEFAULT NULL, '
-                . 'UNIQUE INDEX UNIQ_D87F7E0C8C73652176FF8CAA (foo, bar))'
-                . ' DEFAULT CHARACTER SET utf8 COLLATE `utf8_unicode_ci` ENGINE = InnoDB',
+                . 'UNIQUE INDEX UNIQ_D87F7E0C8C73652176FF8CAA (foo, bar))',
         ];
     }
 
@@ -206,7 +205,7 @@ public function getCreateTableColumnCommentsSQL(): array
     {
         return [
             "CREATE TABLE test (id INT NOT NULL COMMENT 'This is a comment', "
-                . 'PRIMARY KEY(id)) DEFAULT CHARACTER SET utf8 COLLATE `utf8_unicode_ci` ENGINE = InnoDB',
+                . 'PRIMARY KEY(id))',
         ];
     }
 
@@ -229,7 +228,7 @@ public function getCreateTableColumnTypeCommentsSQL(): array
     {
         return [
             "CREATE TABLE test (id INT NOT NULL, data LONGTEXT NOT NULL COMMENT '(DC2Type:array)', "
-                . 'PRIMARY KEY(id)) DEFAULT CHARACTER SET utf8 COLLATE `utf8_unicode_ci` ENGINE = InnoDB',
+                . 'PRIMARY KEY(id))',
         ];
     }
 
@@ -253,7 +252,7 @@ public function testChangeIndexWithForeignKeys(): void
     protected function getQuotedColumnInPrimaryKeySQL(): array
     {
         return ['CREATE TABLE `quoted` (`create` VARCHAR(255) NOT NULL, '
-                . 'PRIMARY KEY(`create`)) DEFAULT CHARACTER SET utf8 COLLATE `utf8_unicode_ci` ENGINE = InnoDB',
+                . 'PRIMARY KEY(`create`))',
         ];
     }
 
@@ -264,8 +263,7 @@ protected function getQuotedColumnInIndexSQL(): array
     {
         return [
             'CREATE TABLE `quoted` (`create` VARCHAR(255) NOT NULL, '
-                . 'INDEX IDX_22660D028FD6E0FB (`create`)) '
-                . 'DEFAULT CHARACTER SET utf8 COLLATE `utf8_unicode_ci` ENGINE = InnoDB',
+                . 'INDEX IDX_22660D028FD6E0FB (`create`))',
         ];
     }
 
@@ -276,7 +274,7 @@ protected function getQuotedNameInIndexSQL(): array
     {
         return [
             'CREATE TABLE test (column1 VARCHAR(255) NOT NULL, '
-                . 'INDEX `key` (column1)) DEFAULT CHARACTER SET utf8 COLLATE `utf8_unicode_ci` ENGINE = InnoDB',
+                . 'INDEX `key` (column1))',
         ];
     }
 
@@ -287,7 +285,7 @@ protected function getQuotedColumnInForeignKeySQL(): array
     {
         return [
             'CREATE TABLE `quoted` (`create` VARCHAR(255) NOT NULL, foo VARCHAR(255) NOT NULL, '
-                . '`bar` VARCHAR(255) NOT NULL) DEFAULT CHARACTER SET utf8 COLLATE `utf8_unicode_ci` ENGINE = InnoDB',
+                . '`bar` VARCHAR(255) NOT NULL)',
             'ALTER TABLE `quoted` ADD CONSTRAINT FK_WITH_RESERVED_KEYWORD FOREIGN KEY (`create`, foo, `bar`)'
                 . ' REFERENCES `foreign` (`create`, bar, `foo-bar`)',
             'ALTER TABLE `quoted` ADD CONSTRAINT FK_WITH_NON_RESERVED_KEYWORD FOREIGN KEY (`create`, foo, `bar`)'
@@ -312,7 +310,7 @@ public function testCreateTableWithFulltextIndex(): void
             [
                 'CREATE TABLE fulltext_table (text LONGTEXT NOT NULL, '
                 . 'FULLTEXT INDEX fulltext_text (text)) '
-                . 'DEFAULT CHARACTER SET utf8 COLLATE `utf8_unicode_ci` ENGINE = MyISAM',
+                . 'ENGINE = MyISAM',
             ],
             $sql
         );
@@ -332,7 +330,7 @@ public function testCreateTableWithSpatialIndex(): void
         self::assertEquals(
             [
                 'CREATE TABLE spatial_table (point LONGTEXT NOT NULL, SPATIAL INDEX spatial_text (point)) '
-                . 'DEFAULT CHARACTER SET utf8 COLLATE `utf8_unicode_ci` ENGINE = MyISAM',
+                . 'ENGINE = MyISAM',
             ],
             $sql
         );
@@ -577,7 +575,7 @@ public function testDoesNotPropagateForeignKeyCreationForNonSupportingEngines():
             [
                 'CREATE TABLE foreign_table (id INT NOT NULL, fk_id INT NOT NULL, '
                     . 'INDEX IDX_5690FFE2A57719D0 (fk_id), PRIMARY KEY(id)) '
-                    . 'DEFAULT CHARACTER SET utf8 COLLATE `utf8_unicode_ci` ENGINE = MyISAM',
+                    . 'ENGINE = MyISAM',
             ],
             $this->platform->getCreateTableSQL(
                 $table,
@@ -592,7 +590,7 @@ public function testDoesNotPropagateForeignKeyCreationForNonSupportingEngines():
             [
                 'CREATE TABLE foreign_table (id INT NOT NULL, fk_id INT NOT NULL, '
                     . 'INDEX IDX_5690FFE2A57719D0 (fk_id), PRIMARY KEY(id)) '
-                    . 'DEFAULT CHARACTER SET utf8 COLLATE `utf8_unicode_ci` ENGINE = InnoDB',
+                    . 'ENGINE = InnoDB',
                 'ALTER TABLE foreign_table ADD CONSTRAINT FK_5690FFE2A57719D0 FOREIGN KEY (fk_id)'
                     . ' REFERENCES foreign_table (id)',
             ],
@@ -715,7 +713,7 @@ public function testDoesNotPropagateDefaultValuesForUnsupportedColumnTypes(): vo
                     . 'def_text_null LONGTEXT DEFAULT NULL, '
                     . 'def_blob LONGBLOB NOT NULL, '
                     . 'def_blob_null LONGBLOB DEFAULT NULL'
-                    . ') DEFAULT CHARACTER SET utf8 COLLATE `utf8_unicode_ci` ENGINE = InnoDB',
+                    . ')',
             ],
             $this->platform->getCreateTableSQL($table)
         );
@@ -970,8 +968,7 @@ public function testGetCreateTableSQLWithColumnCollation(): void
         self::assertSame(
             [
                 'CREATE TABLE foo (no_collation VARCHAR(255) NOT NULL, '
-                    . 'column_collation VARCHAR(255) NOT NULL COLLATE `ascii_general_ci`) '
-                    . 'DEFAULT CHARACTER SET utf8 COLLATE `utf8_unicode_ci` ENGINE = InnoDB',
+                    . 'column_collation VARCHAR(255) NOT NULL COLLATE `ascii_general_ci`)',
             ],
             $this->platform->getCreateTableSQL($table)
         );
diff --git a/tests/Schema/MySQLInheritCharsetTest.php b/tests/Schema/MySQLInheritCharsetTest.php
index d0e684f6afe..9b4f6bb5c25 100644
--- a/tests/Schema/MySQLInheritCharsetTest.php
+++ b/tests/Schema/MySQLInheritCharsetTest.php
@@ -44,34 +44,18 @@ public function testTableOptions(): void
     {
         $platform = new MySQLPlatform();
 
-        // default, no overrides
+        // no options
         $table = new Table('foobar', [new Column('aa', Type::getType('integer'))]);
         self::assertSame(
-            [
-                'CREATE TABLE foobar (aa INT NOT NULL)'
-                    . ' DEFAULT CHARACTER SET utf8 COLLATE `utf8_unicode_ci` ENGINE = InnoDB',
-            ],
+            ['CREATE TABLE foobar (aa INT NOT NULL)'],
             $platform->getCreateTableSQL($table)
         );
 
-        // explicit utf8
+        // charset
         $table = new Table('foobar', [new Column('aa', Type::getType('integer'))]);
         $table->addOption('charset', 'utf8');
         self::assertSame(
-            [
-                'CREATE TABLE foobar (aa INT NOT NULL)'
-                    . ' DEFAULT CHARACTER SET utf8 COLLATE `utf8_unicode_ci` ENGINE = InnoDB',
-            ],
-            $platform->getCreateTableSQL($table)
-        );
-
-        // explicit utf8mb4
-        $table = new Table('foobar', [new Column('aa', Type::getType('integer'))]);
-        $table->addOption('charset', 'utf8mb4');
-        self::assertSame(
-            ['CREATE TABLE foobar (aa INT NOT NULL)'
-                    . ' DEFAULT CHARACTER SET utf8mb4 COLLATE `utf8mb4_unicode_ci` ENGINE = InnoDB',
-            ],
+            ['CREATE TABLE foobar (aa INT NOT NULL) DEFAULT CHARACTER SET utf8'],
             $platform->getCreateTableSQL($table)
         );
     }