diff --git a/packages/pg-protocol/src/serializer.ts b/packages/pg-protocol/src/serializer.ts
index 00e43fff..bff2fd33 100644
--- a/packages/pg-protocol/src/serializer.ts
+++ b/packages/pg-protocol/src/serializer.ts
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ const startup = (opts: Record<string, string>): Buffer => {
     writer.addCString(key).addCString(opts[key])
   }
 
-  writer.addCString('client_encoding').addCString("'utf-8'")
+  writer.addCString('client_encoding').addCString('UTF8')
 
   var bodyBuffer = writer.addCString('').flush()
   // this message is sent without a code
diff --git a/packages/pg/lib/connection.js b/packages/pg/lib/connection.js
index c3f30aa0..76125013 100644
--- a/packages/pg/lib/connection.js
+++ b/packages/pg/lib/connection.js
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ Connection.prototype.startup = function (config) {
     writer.addCString(key).addCString(val)
   })
 
-  writer.addCString('client_encoding').addCString("'utf-8'")
+  writer.addCString('client_encoding').addCString('UTF8')
 
   var bodyBuffer = writer.addCString('').flush()
   // this message is sent without a code
diff --git a/packages/pg/test/unit/connection/outbound-sending-tests.js b/packages/pg/test/unit/connection/outbound-sending-tests.js
index 8b21de4c..d6b03964 100644
--- a/packages/pg/test/unit/connection/outbound-sending-tests.js
+++ b/packages/pg/test/unit/connection/outbound-sending-tests.js
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ test('sends startup message', function () {
       .addCString('database')
       .addCString('bang')
       .addCString('client_encoding')
-      .addCString("'utf-8'")
+      .addCString('UTF8')
       .addCString('')
       .join(true)
   )