diff --git a/extensions/database/pom.xml b/extensions/database/pom.xml
index eeab5e08d..ed7d42dac 100644
--- a/extensions/database/pom.xml
+++ b/extensions/database/pom.xml
@@ -138,7 +138,7 @@
     <dependency>
       <groupId>mysql</groupId>
       <artifactId>mysql-connector-java</artifactId>
-      <version>5.1.46</version>
+      <version>8.0.20</version>
     </dependency>
     <dependency>
       <groupId>org.jasypt</groupId>
diff --git a/extensions/database/src/com/google/refine/extension/database/mysql/MySQLDatabaseService.java b/extensions/database/src/com/google/refine/extension/database/mysql/MySQLDatabaseService.java
index 6a3fee162..8f4492f0b 100644
--- a/extensions/database/src/com/google/refine/extension/database/mysql/MySQLDatabaseService.java
+++ b/extensions/database/src/com/google/refine/extension/database/mysql/MySQLDatabaseService.java
@@ -86,9 +86,6 @@ public class MySQLDatabaseService extends DatabaseService {
                 Statement statement = connection.createStatement();
                 ResultSet queryResult = statement.executeQuery(query);
                 java.sql.ResultSetMetaData metadata = queryResult.getMetaData();
-                if(metadata instanceof com.mysql.jdbc.ResultSetMetaData) {
-                    metadata = (com.mysql.jdbc.ResultSetMetaData)metadata;
-                }
                 int columnCount = metadata.getColumnCount();
                 ArrayList<DatabaseColumn> columns = new ArrayList<DatabaseColumn>(columnCount);
                 for (int i = 1; i <= columnCount; i++) {
@@ -163,9 +160,6 @@ public class MySQLDatabaseService extends DatabaseService {
             Statement statement = connection.createStatement();
             ResultSet queryResult = statement.executeQuery(query);
             java.sql.ResultSetMetaData metadata = queryResult.getMetaData();
-            if(metadata instanceof com.mysql.jdbc.ResultSetMetaData) {
-                metadata = (com.mysql.jdbc.ResultSetMetaData)metadata;
-            }
             int columnCount = metadata.getColumnCount();
             ArrayList<DatabaseColumn> columns = new ArrayList<DatabaseColumn>(columnCount);
             for (int i = 1; i <= columnCount; i++) {
@@ -189,9 +183,6 @@ public class MySQLDatabaseService extends DatabaseService {
                 statement.setFetchSize(10);
                 ResultSet queryResult = statement.executeQuery(query);
                 java.sql.ResultSetMetaData metadata = queryResult.getMetaData();
-                if(metadata instanceof com.mysql.jdbc.ResultSetMetaData) {
-                    metadata = (com.mysql.jdbc.ResultSetMetaData)metadata;
-                }
                 int columnCount = metadata.getColumnCount();
                 int index = 0; 
                 List<DatabaseRow> rows = new ArrayList<DatabaseRow>();