diff --git a/Database/Persist/MySQL.hs b/Database/Persist/MySQL.hs
--- a/Database/Persist/MySQL.hs
+++ b/Database/Persist/MySQL.hs
@@ -410,6 +410,12 @@
       default_ <- case default' of
                     PersistNull   -> return Nothing
                     PersistText t -> return (Just t)
+                    PersistByteString bs ->
+                      case T.decodeUtf8' bs of
+                        Left exc -> fail $ "Invalid default column: " ++
+                                           show default' ++ " (error: " ++
+                                           show exc ++ ")"
+                        Right t  -> return (Just t)
                     _ -> fail $ "Invalid default column: " ++ show default'
 
       -- Column type
diff --git a/persistent-mysql.cabal b/persistent-mysql.cabal
--- a/persistent-mysql.cabal
+++ b/persistent-mysql.cabal
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 name:            persistent-mysql
-version:         0.8.1
+version:         0.8.2
 license:         BSD3
 license-file:    LICENSE
 author:          Felipe Lessa <felipe.lessa@gmail.com>, Michael Snoyman
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@
                    , persistent            >= 0.8      && < 0.9
                    , containers            >= 0.2
                    , bytestring            >= 0.9      && < 0.10
-                   , text                  >= 0.7      && < 0.12
+                   , text                  >= 0.11.0.6 && < 0.12
                    , monad-control         >= 0.2      && < 0.4
                    , time                  >= 1.1
                    , aeson                 >= 0.5