diff --git a/pkg/config/database.go b/pkg/config/database.go
index b42ff8e1c..9f886ebef 100644
--- a/pkg/config/database.go
+++ b/pkg/config/database.go
@@ -61,7 +61,8 @@ func (d *Database) Open(logger *logging.Logger) (*icingadb.DB, error) {
 
 		config.DBName = d.Database
 		config.Timeout = time.Minute
-		config.Params = map[string]string{"sql_mode": "ANSI_QUOTES"}
+		// Set strict SQL mode, i.e. trigger an error if an incorrect value is inserted into a column.
+		config.Params = map[string]string{"sql_mode": "TRADITIONAL"}
 
 		tlsConfig, err := d.TlsOptions.MakeConfig(d.Host)
 		if err != nil {
diff --git a/pkg/icingadb/quoter.go b/pkg/icingadb/quoter.go
index b3cae860c..3726695dc 100644
--- a/pkg/icingadb/quoter.go
+++ b/pkg/icingadb/quoter.go
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ func NewQuoter(db *sqlx.DB) *Quoter {
 
 	switch db.DriverName() {
 	case driver.MySQL:
-		qc = `"`
+		qc = "`"
 	case driver.PostgreSQL:
 		qc = `"`
 	default: