diff --git a/Appraisals b/Appraisals
index 0f04bf285df..8ea400447ab 100644
--- a/Appraisals
+++ b/Appraisals
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ if RUBY_VERSION < '2.4.0' && RUBY_PLATFORM != 'java'
   if RUBY_VERSION >= '2.1.10'
     appraise 'rails4-mysql2' do
       gem 'rails', '4.2.7.1'
-      gem 'mysql2', platform: :ruby
+      gem 'mysql2', '< 0.5', platform: :ruby
       gem 'activerecord-jdbcmysql-adapter', platform: :jruby
     end
 
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ if RUBY_VERSION < '2.4.0' && RUBY_PLATFORM != 'java'
   if RUBY_VERSION >= '2.2.2'
     appraise 'rails5-mysql2' do
       gem 'rails', '5.0.1'
-      gem 'mysql2', platform: :ruby
+      gem 'mysql2', '< 0.5', platform: :ruby
     end
 
     appraise 'rails5-postgres' do
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ if RUBY_VERSION >= '2.2.2' && RUBY_PLATFORM != 'java'
     gem 'dalli'
     gem 'resque', '< 2.0'
     gem 'racecar', '>= 0.3.5'
-    gem 'mysql2', platform: :ruby
+    gem 'mysql2', '< 0.5', platform: :ruby
   end
 else
   appraise 'contrib-old' do
diff --git a/gemfiles/contrib.gemfile b/gemfiles/contrib.gemfile
index 9215a21d9d3..230818d6d58 100644
--- a/gemfiles/contrib.gemfile
+++ b/gemfiles/contrib.gemfile
@@ -19,6 +19,6 @@ gem "sucker_punch"
 gem "dalli"
 gem "resque", "< 2.0"
 gem "racecar", ">= 0.3.5"
-gem "mysql2", platform: :ruby
+gem "mysql2", "< 0.5", platform: :ruby
 
 gemspec path: "../"
diff --git a/gemfiles/rails4_mysql2.gemfile b/gemfiles/rails4_mysql2.gemfile
index e9fcaf8f08b..2f0de14c5f9 100644
--- a/gemfiles/rails4_mysql2.gemfile
+++ b/gemfiles/rails4_mysql2.gemfile
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ source "https://rubygems.org"
 
 gem "pry-nav", git: "https://github.com/nixme/pry-nav.git", branch: "master"
 gem "rails", "4.2.7.1"
-gem "mysql2", platform: :ruby
+gem "mysql2", "< 0.5", platform: :ruby
 gem "activerecord-jdbcmysql-adapter", platform: :jruby
 
 gemspec path: "../"
diff --git a/gemfiles/rails5_mysql2.gemfile b/gemfiles/rails5_mysql2.gemfile
index 40b27dd42da..cca2c942fa9 100644
--- a/gemfiles/rails5_mysql2.gemfile
+++ b/gemfiles/rails5_mysql2.gemfile
@@ -4,6 +4,6 @@ source "https://rubygems.org"
 
 gem "pry-nav", git: "https://github.com/nixme/pry-nav.git", branch: "master"
 gem "rails", "5.0.1"
-gem "mysql2", platform: :ruby
+gem "mysql2", "< 0.5", platform: :ruby
 
 gemspec path: "../"