diff --git a/app/Config/OSPOS.php b/app/Config/OSPOS.php
index ecc6eb59a..1b89532b2 100644
--- a/app/Config/OSPOS.php
+++ b/app/Config/OSPOS.php
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ namespace Config;
 use App\Models\Appconfig;
 use CodeIgniter\Cache\CacheInterface;
 use CodeIgniter\Config\BaseConfig;
+use Config\Database;
 
 /**
  * This class holds the configuration options stored from the database so that on launch those settings can be cached
@@ -13,7 +14,7 @@ use CodeIgniter\Config\BaseConfig;
  */
 class OSPOS extends BaseConfig
 {
-    public array $settings;
+    public array $settings = [];
     public string $commit_sha1 = 'dev';    // TODO: Travis scripts need to be updated to replace this with the commit hash on build
     private CacheInterface $cache;
 
@@ -33,26 +34,35 @@ class OSPOS extends BaseConfig
 
         if ($cache) {
             $this->settings = decode_array($cache);
-        } else {
-            try {
-                $appconfig = model(Appconfig::class);
-                foreach ($appconfig->get_all()->getResult() as $app_config) {
-                    $this->settings[$app_config->key] = $app_config->value;
-                }
-                $this->cache->save('settings', encode_array($this->settings));
-            } catch (\Exception $e) {
-                // Database table doesn't exist yet (migrations haven't run)
-                // or database connection failed. Return empty settings to
-                // allow migration page to display. Catches mysqli_sql_exception
-                // which is not a subclass of DatabaseException.
-                $this->settings = [
-                    'language' => 'english',
-                    'language_code' => 'en',
-                    'company' => 'Home',
-                    'barcode_type' => 'Code39'
-                ];
-            }
+            return;
         }
+
+        try {
+            $db = Database::connect();
+
+            if (!$db->tableExists('app_config')) {
+                $this->settings = $this->getDefaultSettings();
+                return;
+            }
+
+            $appconfig = model(Appconfig::class);
+            foreach ($appconfig->get_all()->getResult() as $app_config) {
+                $this->settings[$app_config->key] = $app_config->value;
+            }
+            $this->cache->save('settings', encode_array($this->settings));
+        } catch (\Exception $e) {
+            $this->settings = $this->getDefaultSettings();
+        }
+    }
+
+    private function getDefaultSettings(): array
+    {
+        return [
+            'language'      => 'english',
+            'language_code' => 'en',
+            'company'       => 'Home',
+            'barcode_type'  => 'Code39'
+        ];
     }
 
     /**
@@ -63,4 +73,4 @@ class OSPOS extends BaseConfig
         $this->cache->delete('settings');
         $this->set_settings();
     }
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
diff --git a/app/Controllers/Login.php b/app/Controllers/Login.php
index ee56e7c0b..2139daef3 100644
--- a/app/Controllers/Login.php
+++ b/app/Controllers/Login.php
@@ -49,6 +49,13 @@ class Login extends BaseController
                 return view('login', $data);
             }
 
+            if (!$data['is_latest'] || $data['is_new_install']) {
+                set_time_limit(3600);
+
+                $migration->setNamespace('App')->latest();
+                return redirect()->to('login');
+            }
+
             $rules = ['username' => 'required|login_check[data]'];
             $messages = [
                 'username' => [
@@ -62,13 +69,6 @@ class Login extends BaseController
 
                 return view('login', $data);
             }
-
-            if (!$data['is_latest']) {
-                set_time_limit(3600);
-
-                $migration->setNamespace('App')->latest();
-                return redirect()->to('login');
-            }
         }
 
         return redirect()->to('home');
@@ -79,18 +79,18 @@ class Login extends BaseController
         try {
             $migration = new MY_Migration(config('Migrations'));
             $migration->migrate_to_ci4();
-            
+
             set_time_limit(3600);
             $migration->setNamespace('App')->latest();
-            
+
             return $this->response->setJSON([
                 'success' => true,
                 'message' => 'Migration completed successfully'
             ]);
-            
+
         } catch (\Exception $e) {
             log_message('error', 'Migration failed: ' . $e->getMessage());
-            
+
             return $this->response->setJSON([
                 'success' => false,
                 'message' => 'Migration failed: ' . $e->getMessage()
diff --git a/app/Database/Migrations/20170501150000_upgrade_to_3_1_1.php b/app/Database/Migrations/20170501150000_upgrade_to_3_1_1.php
index a4cc26f8f..d3012410a 100644
--- a/app/Database/Migrations/20170501150000_upgrade_to_3_1_1.php
+++ b/app/Database/Migrations/20170501150000_upgrade_to_3_1_1.php
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 namespace App\Database\Migrations;
 
+use CodeIgniter\Database\Exceptions\DatabaseException;
 use CodeIgniter\Database\Migration;
 
 class Migration_Upgrade_To_3_1_1 extends Migration
@@ -17,7 +18,37 @@ class Migration_Upgrade_To_3_1_1 extends Migration
     public function up(): void
     {
         helper('migration');
-        execute_script(APPPATH . 'Database/Migrations/sqlscripts/3.0.2_to_3.1.1.sql');
+
+        // MariaDB blocks CONVERT TO CHARACTER SET on tables with FK constraints.
+        // Drop all FKs across affected tables before running the SQL script, recreate after.
+        $fkColumns = [
+            ['modules',         'module_id'],
+            ['stock_locations', 'location_id'],
+            ['permissions',     'permission_id'],
+            ['people',          'person_id'],
+            ['suppliers',       'supplier_id'],
+            ['items',           'item_id'],
+            ['item_kits',       'item_kit_id'],
+            ['sales',           'sale_id'],
+            ['receivings',      'receiving_id'],
+            ['employees',       'employee_id'],
+            ['customers',       'person_id'],
+        ];
+
+        $constraints = [];
+        foreach ($fkColumns as [$table, $column]) {
+            foreach (dropAllForeignKeyConstraints($table, $column) as $c) {
+                $constraints[$c['constraintName']] = $c;
+            }
+        }
+
+        if (!execute_script(APPPATH . 'Database/Migrations/sqlscripts/3.0.2_to_3.1.1.sql')) {
+            throw new DatabaseException('Migration script 3.0.2_to_3.1.1.sql failed. Check logs for details.');
+        }
+
+        $droppedTables = ['sales_suspended', 'sales_suspended_items', 'sales_suspended_items_taxes', 'sales_suspended_payments'];
+        $toRecreate = array_filter($constraints, fn($c) => !in_array($c['tableName'], $droppedTables, true));
+        recreateForeignKeyConstraints(array_values($toRecreate));
     }
 
     /**
diff --git a/app/Database/Migrations/sqlscripts/3.0.2_to_3.1.1.sql b/app/Database/Migrations/sqlscripts/3.0.2_to_3.1.1.sql
index f1b80715b..5852b9875 100644
--- a/app/Database/Migrations/sqlscripts/3.0.2_to_3.1.1.sql
+++ b/app/Database/Migrations/sqlscripts/3.0.2_to_3.1.1.sql
@@ -327,19 +327,6 @@ INSERT INTO `ospos_sales_items` (sale_id, item_id, description, serialnumber, li
 INSERT INTO `ospos_sales_payments` (sale_id, payment_type, payment_amount) SELECT sale_id, payment_type, payment_amount FROM `ospos_sales_suspended_payments`;
 INSERT INTO `ospos_sales_items_taxes` (sale_id, item_id, line, name, percent) SELECT sale_id, item_id, line, name, percent FROM `ospos_sales_suspended_items_taxes`;
 
-ALTER TABLE `ospos_sales_suspended_payments` DROP FOREIGN KEY `ospos_sales_suspended_payments_ibfk_1`;
-
-ALTER TABLE `ospos_sales_suspended_items_taxes` DROP FOREIGN KEY `ospos_sales_suspended_items_taxes_ibfk_1`;
-ALTER TABLE `ospos_sales_suspended_items_taxes` DROP FOREIGN KEY `ospos_sales_suspended_items_taxes_ibfk_2`;
-
-ALTER TABLE `ospos_sales_suspended_items` DROP FOREIGN KEY `ospos_sales_suspended_items_ibfk_1`;
-ALTER TABLE `ospos_sales_suspended_items` DROP FOREIGN KEY `ospos_sales_suspended_items_ibfk_2`;
-ALTER TABLE `ospos_sales_suspended_items` DROP FOREIGN KEY `ospos_sales_suspended_items_ibfk_3`;
-
-ALTER TABLE `ospos_sales_suspended` DROP FOREIGN KEY `ospos_sales_suspended_ibfk_1`;
-ALTER TABLE `ospos_sales_suspended` DROP FOREIGN KEY `ospos_sales_suspended_ibfk_2`;
-ALTER TABLE `ospos_sales_suspended` DROP FOREIGN KEY `ospos_sales_suspended_ibfk_3`;
-
 DROP TABLE `ospos_sales_suspended_payments`, `ospos_sales_suspended_items_taxes`, `ospos_sales_suspended_items`, `ospos_sales_suspended`;
 
 --
diff --git a/app/Database/Migrations/sqlscripts/3.1.1_to_3.2.0.sql b/app/Database/Migrations/sqlscripts/3.1.1_to_3.2.0.sql
index 19ea538a2..397b05ab6 100644
--- a/app/Database/Migrations/sqlscripts/3.1.1_to_3.2.0.sql
+++ b/app/Database/Migrations/sqlscripts/3.1.1_to_3.2.0.sql
@@ -140,7 +140,7 @@ CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS `ospos_expense_categories` (
   `category_name` varchar(255) DEFAULT NULL,
   `category_description` varchar(255) NOT NULL,
   `deleted` int(1) NOT NULL DEFAULT '0'
-) ENGINE=InnoDB DEFAULT CHARSET=utf8;
+) ENGINE=InnoDB DEFAULT CHARSET=utf8 COLLATE=utf8_general_ci;
 
 
 -- Table structure for table `ospos_expenses`
@@ -154,7 +154,7 @@ CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS `ospos_expenses` (
   `description` varchar(255) NOT NULL,
   `employee_id` int(10) NOT NULL,
   `deleted` int(1) NOT NULL DEFAULT '0'
-) ENGINE=InnoDB DEFAULT CHARSET=utf8;
+) ENGINE=InnoDB DEFAULT CHARSET=utf8 COLLATE=utf8_general_ci;
 
 
 -- Indexes for table `ospos_expense_categories`
diff --git a/app/Database/Migrations/sqlscripts/3.2.1_to_3.3.0.sql b/app/Database/Migrations/sqlscripts/3.2.1_to_3.3.0.sql
index d6ffb7062..d2695969e 100644
--- a/app/Database/Migrations/sqlscripts/3.2.1_to_3.3.0.sql
+++ b/app/Database/Migrations/sqlscripts/3.2.1_to_3.3.0.sql
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ CREATE TABLE `ospos_cash_up` (
   `open_employee_id` int(10) NOT NULL,
   `close_employee_id` int(10) NOT NULL,
   `deleted` int(1) NOT NULL DEFAULT '0'
-) ENGINE=InnoDB DEFAULT CHARSET=utf8;
+) ENGINE=InnoDB DEFAULT CHARSET=utf8 COLLATE=utf8_general_ci;
 
 -- Indexes for table `ospos_cash_up`
 
diff --git a/app/Database/Migrations/sqlscripts/3.3.0_indiagst.sql b/app/Database/Migrations/sqlscripts/3.3.0_indiagst.sql
index 449951025..0e1597ddc 100644
--- a/app/Database/Migrations/sqlscripts/3.3.0_indiagst.sql
+++ b/app/Database/Migrations/sqlscripts/3.3.0_indiagst.sql
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS `ospos_tax_codes` (
     `state` varchar(255) NOT NULL DEFAULT '',
     `deleted` int(1) NOT NULL DEFAULT 0,
     PRIMARY KEY (`tax_code_id`)
-) ENGINE=InnoDB DEFAULT CHARSET=utf8;
+) ENGINE=InnoDB DEFAULT CHARSET=utf8 COLLATE=utf8_general_ci;
 
 ALTER TABLE `ospos_customers`
     ADD COLUMN `tax_id` varchar(32) NOT NULL DEFAULT '' AFTER `taxable`,
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ CREATE TABLE `ospos_sales_taxes` (
     `rounding_code` tinyint(2) NOT NULL DEFAULT 0,
     PRIMARY KEY (`sales_taxes_id`),
     KEY `print_sequence` (`sale_id`,`print_sequence`,`tax_group`)
-) ENGINE=InnoDB DEFAULT CHARSET=utf8;
+) ENGINE=InnoDB DEFAULT CHARSET=utf8 COLLATE=utf8_general_ci;
 
 CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS `ospos_tax_jurisdictions` (
     `jurisdiction_id` int(11) NOT NULL AUTO_INCREMENT,
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS `ospos_tax_jurisdictions` (
     `cascade_sequence` tinyint(2) NOT NULL DEFAULT 0,
     `deleted` int(1) NOT NULL DEFAULT 0,
     PRIMARY KEY (`jurisdiction_id`)
-) ENGINE=InnoDB DEFAULT CHARSET=utf8 AUTO_INCREMENT=1;
+) ENGINE=InnoDB DEFAULT CHARSET=utf8 COLLATE=utf8_general_ci AUTO_INCREMENT=1;
 
 ALTER TABLE `ospos_suppliers`
     ADD COLUMN `tax_id` varchar(32) DEFAULT NULL AFTER `account_number`;
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS `ospos_tax_rates` (
     `tax_rate` decimal(15,4) NOT NULL DEFAULT 0.0000,
     `tax_rounding_code` tinyint(2) NOT NULL DEFAULT 0,
     PRIMARY KEY (`tax_rate_id`)
-) ENGINE=InnoDB DEFAULT CHARSET=utf8;
+) ENGINE=InnoDB DEFAULT CHARSET=utf8 COLLATE=utf8_general_ci;
 
 -- Add support for sales tax report
 
diff --git a/app/Database/Migrations/sqlscripts/3.3.0_paymenttracking.sql b/app/Database/Migrations/sqlscripts/3.3.0_paymenttracking.sql
index 84870add8..641bdc33b 100644
--- a/app/Database/Migrations/sqlscripts/3.3.0_paymenttracking.sql
+++ b/app/Database/Migrations/sqlscripts/3.3.0_paymenttracking.sql
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ CREATE TABLE `ospos_sales_payments` (
   `reference_code` varchar(40) NOT NULL DEFAULT '',
   PRIMARY KEY (`payment_id`),
   KEY `payment_sale` (`sale_id`, `payment_type`)
-) ENGINE=InnoDB DEFAULT CHARSET=utf8;
+) ENGINE=InnoDB DEFAULT CHARSET=utf8 COLLATE=utf8_general_ci;
 
 INSERT INTO ospos_sales_payments (sale_id, payment_type, payment_amount, payment_user)
 SELECT payments.sale_id, payments.payment_type, payments.payment_amount, sales.employee_id
diff --git a/app/Helpers/migration_helper.php b/app/Helpers/migration_helper.php
index 87183a060..ef056404e 100644
--- a/app/Helpers/migration_helper.php
+++ b/app/Helpers/migration_helper.php
@@ -172,6 +172,7 @@ function dropAllForeignKeyConstraints(string $table, string $column): array {
             WHERE kcu.TABLE_SCHEMA = DATABASE()
                 AND ((kcu.REFERENCED_TABLE_NAME = '" . $db->getPrefix() . "$table' AND kcu.REFERENCED_COLUMN_NAME = '$column')
                 OR (kcu.TABLE_NAME = '" . $db->getPrefix() . "$table' AND kcu.COLUMN_NAME = '$column'))
+                AND rc.CONSTRAINT_NAME IS NOT NULL
         ");
 
     $deletedConstraints = [];