diff --git a/lib/mysql/column.js b/lib/mysql/column.js
index 499e912..11f1f7f 100644
--- a/lib/mysql/column.js
+++ b/lib/mysql/column.js
@@ -18,7 +18,8 @@ Column.prototype.isNullable = function () {
 };
 
 Column.prototype.getMaxLength = function () {
-  return this.meta.character_maximum_length;
+  var length = parseInt(this.meta.character_maximum_length,10);
+  return isNaN(length) ? null : length;
 };
 
 Column.prototype.getDataType = function() {
diff --git a/lib/mysql/driver.js b/lib/mysql/driver.js
index 16add62..e1cf13f 100644
--- a/lib/mysql/driver.js
+++ b/lib/mysql/driver.js
@@ -5,7 +5,13 @@ var Index = require('./index');
 
 exports.connect = function (options, callback) {
   try {
-    var client = mysql.createClient(options);
+    var client;
+    if (typeof(mysql.createConnection) != 'undefined') {
+      client = mysql.createConnection(options);
+      client.database = client.config.database;
+    } else {
+      client = mysql.createClient(options);
+    }
     callback(null, new Driver(client));
   } catch (err) {
     callback(err);
@@ -13,6 +19,9 @@ exports.connect = function (options, callback) {
 };
 
 exports.connectToExistingConnection = function(client, callback){
+  if (typeof(mysql.createConnection) != 'undefined') {
+    client.database = client.config.database
+  }
   callback(null, new Driver(client));
 };
 
diff --git a/test/mysql/driver-test.js b/test/mysql/driver-test.js
index 97fa249..703d2df 100644
--- a/test/mysql/driver-test.js
+++ b/test/mysql/driver-test.js
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ var driver = null;
 
 describe('mysql driver', function() {
   before(function(done) {
-    mysql.connect({ database: 'db_meta_test' }, onConnect);
+    mysql.connect({ database: 'db_meta_test', user:'root' }, onConnect);
 
     function onConnect(err, dbDriver) {
       driver = dbDriver;