Index: wp-includes/wp-db.php
===================================================================
--- wp-includes/wp-db.php	(revision 21469)
+++ wp-includes/wp-db.php	(working copy)
@@ -1557,6 +1557,24 @@
 	}
 
 	/**
+	 * The database character collate.
+	 *
+	 * @since 3.5.0
+	 *
+	 * @return string The database character collate.
+	 **/
+	public function charset_collate() {
+		$charset_collate = '';
+		
+		if ( ! empty( $this->charset ) )
+			$charset_collate = "DEFAULT CHARACTER SET $this->charset";
+		if ( ! empty( $this->collate ) )
+			$charset_collate .= " COLLATE $this->collate";
+		
+		return $charset_collate;
+	}
+
+	/**
 	 * Determine if a database supports a particular feature
 	 *
 	 * @since 2.7.0
Index: wp-admin/includes/schema.php
===================================================================
--- wp-admin/includes/schema.php	(revision 21469)
+++ wp-admin/includes/schema.php	(working copy)
@@ -17,13 +17,8 @@
  * @global string
  * @name $charset_collate
  */
-$charset_collate = '';
+$charset_collate = $wpdb->charset_collate();
 
-if ( ! empty( $wpdb->charset ) )
-	$charset_collate = "DEFAULT CHARACTER SET $wpdb->charset";
-if ( ! empty( $wpdb->collate ) )
-	$charset_collate .= " COLLATE $wpdb->collate";
-
 /**
  * Retrieve the SQL for creating database tables.
  *