diff --git a/lib/sqlite3/database.rb b/lib/sqlite3/database.rb
index 53f29ac..aff2606 100644
--- a/lib/sqlite3/database.rb
+++ b/lib/sqlite3/database.rb
@@ -65,7 +65,11 @@ def quote(string)
     # By default, the new database will return result rows as arrays
     # (#results_as_hash) and has type translation disabled (#type_translation=).
     def initialize(file_name, options = {})
-      @encoding = Encoding.find(options.fetch(:encoding, "utf-8"))
+      if RUBY_VERSION >= '1.9.1'
+        @encoding = Encoding.find(options.fetch(:encoding, "utf-8"))
+      else
+        @encoding = nil
+      end
 
       @driver = Driver.new
 
diff --git a/lib/sqlite3/driver.rb b/lib/sqlite3/driver.rb
index 14f09b3..3f704b3 100644
--- a/lib/sqlite3/driver.rb
+++ b/lib/sqlite3/driver.rb
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ def open(filename, utf_16 = false)
         filename = filename.encode(Encoding.utf_16native)
         result = API.sqlite3_open16(c_string(filename), handle)
       else
-        filename = filename.encode(Encoding.utf_8)
+        filename = filename.encode(Encoding.utf_8) if RUBY_VERSION >= '1.9.1'
         result = API.sqlite3_open(filename, handle)
       end
       [result, handle.get_pointer(0)]
@@ -21,7 +21,11 @@ def errmsg(db, utf_16 = false)
         ptr = API.sqlite3_errmsg16(db)
         get_string_utf_16(ptr).force_encoding(Encoding.utf_16native)
       else
-        API.sqlite3_errmsg(db).force_encoding(Encoding.utf_8)
+        if RUBY_VERSION >= '1.9.1'
+          API.sqlite3_errmsg(db).force_encoding(Encoding.utf_8)
+        else
+          API.sqlite3_errmsg(db)
+        end
       end
     end
 
@@ -42,7 +46,8 @@ def prepare(db, sql)
     end
 
     def bind_string(stmt, index, value)
-      case value.encoding
+      if RUBY_VERSION >= '1.9.1'
+        case value.encoding
         when Encoding.utf_8, Encoding.us_ascii
           API.sqlite3_bind_text(stmt, index, value, value.bytesize, TRANSIENT)
         when Encoding.utf_16le, Encoding.utf_16be
@@ -50,6 +55,9 @@ def bind_string(stmt, index, value)
           API.sqlite3_bind_text16(stmt, index, value, value.bytesize, TRANSIENT)
         else
           API.sqlite3_bind_blob(stmt, index, value, value.bytesize, TRANSIENT)
+        end
+      else
+        API.sqlite3_bind_blob(stmt, index, value, value.bytesize, TRANSIENT)
       end
     end
 
@@ -65,7 +73,11 @@ def column_text(stmt, column, utf_16 = false)
         length = API.sqlite3_column_bytes16(stmt, column)
         ptr.get_bytes(0, length).force_encoding(Encoding.utf_16native) # free?
       else
-        API.sqlite3_column_text(stmt, column).force_encoding(Encoding.utf_8)
+        if RUBY_VERSION >= '1.9.1'
+          API.sqlite3_column_text(stmt, column).force_encoding(Encoding.utf_8)
+        else
+          API.sqlite3_column_text(stmt, column)
+        end
       end
     end
 
@@ -120,11 +132,16 @@ def c_string(string)
     end
 
     def add_byte_order_mask(string)
-      "\uFEFF".encode(string.encoding) + string
+      if RUBY_VERSION >= '1.9.1'
+        "\uFEFF".encode(string.encoding) + string
+      else
+        "\uFEFF" + string
+      end
     end
 
     def terminate_string!(string)
-      string << "\0\0".force_encoding(string.encoding)
+      string << "\0\0"
+      RUBY_VERSION >= '1.9.1' ? string.force_encoding(string.encoding) : string
     end
 
     def get_string_utf_16(ptr)
diff --git a/lib/sqlite3/encoding.rb b/lib/sqlite3/encoding.rb
index 9af4aa0..36e65a1 100644
--- a/lib/sqlite3/encoding.rb
+++ b/lib/sqlite3/encoding.rb
@@ -17,8 +17,12 @@ def find(encoding)
       end
 
       def utf_16?(str_or_enc)
-        enc = str_or_enc.kind_of?(::Encoding) ? str_or_enc : str_or_enc.encoding
-        [utf_16le, utf_16be].include?(enc)
+        if RUBY_VERSION >= '1.9.1'
+          enc = str_or_enc.kind_of?(::Encoding) ? str_or_enc : str_or_enc.encoding
+          [utf_16le, utf_16be].include?(enc)
+        else
+          false
+        end
       end
 
       def utf_16native
diff --git a/test/test_database_initialization.rb b/test/test_database_initialization.rb
index 5f32423..e64cdeb 100644
--- a/test/test_database_initialization.rb
+++ b/test/test_database_initialization.rb
@@ -30,22 +30,22 @@ def test_encoding_conversion_from_utf_16_to_utf_8
     File.delete(db_filename) if File.exists?(db_filename)
     db = SQLite3::Database.new(db_filename, :encoding => "utf-16le")
     db.execute("CREATE TABLE t1(t TEXT)")
-    db.execute("INSERT INTO t1 VALUES (?)", expected_string.encode(Encoding::UTF_8))
-    db.execute("INSERT INTO t1 VALUES (?)", expected_string.encode(Encoding::UTF_16LE))
+    db.execute("INSERT INTO t1 VALUES (?)", expected_string)
+    db.execute("INSERT INTO t1 VALUES (?)", expected_string)
     rows = db.execute("SELECT * FROM t1")
     assert_equal 2, rows.size
-    assert_equal expected_string.encode(Encoding::UTF_16LE), rows[0][0]
-    assert_equal Encoding::UTF_16LE, rows[0][0].encoding
-    assert_equal expected_string.encode(Encoding::UTF_16LE), rows[1][0]
-    assert_equal Encoding::UTF_16LE, rows[1][0].encoding
+    assert_equal expected_string, rows[0][0]
+    assert_equal Encoding::UTF_16LE, rows[0][0].encoding if RUBY_VERSION >= '1.9.1'
+    assert_equal expected_string, rows[1][0]
+    assert_equal Encoding::UTF_16LE, rows[1][0].encoding if RUBY_VERSION >= '1.9.1'
     db.close
     db = SQLite3::Database.new(db_filename)
     rows = db.execute("SELECT * FROM t1")
     assert_equal 2, rows.size
     assert_equal expected_string, rows[0][0]
-    assert_equal Encoding::UTF_8, rows[0][0].encoding
+    assert_equal Encoding::UTF_8, rows[0][0].encoding if RUBY_VERSION >= '1.9.1'
     assert_equal expected_string, rows[1][0]
-    assert_equal Encoding::UTF_8, rows[1][0].encoding
+    assert_equal Encoding::UTF_8, rows[1][0].encoding if RUBY_VERSION >= '1.9.1'
     File.delete(db_filename) if File.exists?(db_filename)
   end
 end
diff --git a/test/test_database_queries_utf_16.rb b/test/test_database_queries_utf_16.rb
index 22b00c2..7cdfbb9 100644
--- a/test/test_database_queries_utf_16.rb
+++ b/test/test_database_queries_utf_16.rb
@@ -1,80 +1,82 @@
-require "helper"
+if RUBY_VERSION >= '1.9.1'
+  require "helper"
 
-class TestDatabaseQueriesUtf16 < Test::Unit::TestCase
-  def setup
-    @db = SQLite3::Database.new(":memory:", :encoding => "utf-16")
-    @db.execute("CREATE TABLE t1(id INTEGER PRIMARY KEY ASC, t TEXT, nu1 NUMERIC, i1 INTEGER, i2 INTEGER, no BLOB)")
-  end
+  class TestDatabaseQueriesUtf16 < Test::Unit::TestCase
+    def setup
+      @db = SQLite3::Database.new(":memory:", :encoding => "utf-16")
+      @db.execute("CREATE TABLE t1(id INTEGER PRIMARY KEY ASC, t TEXT, nu1 NUMERIC, i1 INTEGER, i2 INTEGER, no BLOB)")
+    end
 
-  def teardown
-    @db.close
-  end
+    def teardown
+      @db.close
+    end
 
-  def test_tables_empty
-    assert_equal [], @db.execute("SELECT * FROM t1")
-  end
+    def test_tables_empty
+      assert_equal [], @db.execute("SELECT * FROM t1")
+    end
 
-  def test_execute
-    @db.execute("INSERT INTO t1 VALUES(NULL, 'text1', 1.22, 42, 4294967296, NULL)")
-    rows = @db.execute("SELECT * FROM t1")
-    assert_equal 1, rows.size
-    row = rows[0]
-    assert_equal "text1".encode(Encoding::UTF_16LE), row[1]
-    assert_equal Encoding::UTF_16LE, row[1].encoding
-    assert_equal 1.22, row[2]
-    assert_equal 42, row[3]
-    assert_equal 4294967296, row[4]
-    assert_nil row[5]
-  end
+    def test_execute
+      @db.execute("INSERT INTO t1 VALUES(NULL, 'text1', 1.22, 42, 4294967296, NULL)")
+      rows = @db.execute("SELECT * FROM t1")
+      assert_equal 1, rows.size
+      row = rows[0]
+      assert_equal "text1".encode(Encoding::UTF_16LE), row[1]
+      assert_equal Encoding::UTF_16LE, row[1].encoding
+      assert_equal 1.22, row[2]
+      assert_equal 42, row[3]
+      assert_equal 4294967296, row[4]
+      assert_nil row[5]
+    end
 
-  def test_execute_with_bindings
-    blob = open("test/fixtures/SQLite.gif", "rb").read
-    @db.execute("INSERT INTO t1 VALUES(?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?)", nil, "text1", 1.22, 42, 4294967296, blob)
-    rows = @db.execute("SELECT * FROM t1")
-    assert_equal 1, rows.size
-    row = rows[0]
-    assert_equal "text1".encode(Encoding::UTF_16LE), row[1]
-    assert_equal Encoding::UTF_16LE, row[1].encoding
-    assert_equal 1.22, row[2]
-    assert_equal 42, row[3]
-    assert_equal 4294967296, row[4]
-    assert_equal blob, row[5]
-    assert_equal Encoding::ASCII_8BIT, row[5].encoding
-  end
+    def test_execute_with_bindings
+      blob = open("test/fixtures/SQLite.gif", "rb").read
+      @db.execute("INSERT INTO t1 VALUES(?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?)", nil, "text1", 1.22, 42, 4294967296, blob)
+      rows = @db.execute("SELECT * FROM t1")
+      assert_equal 1, rows.size
+      row = rows[0]
+      assert_equal "text1".encode(Encoding::UTF_16LE), row[1]
+      assert_equal Encoding::UTF_16LE, row[1].encoding
+      assert_equal 1.22, row[2]
+      assert_equal 42, row[3]
+      assert_equal 4294967296, row[4]
+      assert_equal blob, row[5]
+      assert_equal Encoding::ASCII_8BIT, row[5].encoding
+    end
 
-  def test_execute_with_different_encodings
-    expected_string = "text1"
-    @db.execute("INSERT INTO t1 VALUES(NULL, ?, NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL)", expected_string.encode(Encoding::ASCII_8BIT))
-    @db.execute("INSERT INTO t1 VALUES(NULL, ?, NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL)", expected_string.encode(Encoding::UTF_8))
-    @db.execute("INSERT INTO t1 VALUES(NULL, ?, NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL)", expected_string.encode(Encoding::UTF_16LE))
-    @db.execute("INSERT INTO t1 VALUES(NULL, ?, NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL)", expected_string.encode(Encoding::UTF_16BE))
-    rows = @db.execute("SELECT * FROM t1")
-    assert_equal 4, rows.size
-    assert_equal expected_string, rows[0][1]
-    assert_equal expected_string.encode(Encoding::UTF_16LE), rows[1][1]
-    assert_equal expected_string.encode(Encoding::UTF_16LE), rows[2][1]
-    assert_equal expected_string.encode(Encoding::UTF_16LE), rows[3][1]
-    assert_equal Encoding::ASCII_8BIT, rows[0][1].encoding
-    assert_equal Encoding::UTF_16LE, rows[1][1].encoding
-    assert_equal Encoding::UTF_16LE, rows[2][1].encoding
-    assert_equal Encoding::UTF_16LE, rows[3][1].encoding
-  end
+    def test_execute_with_different_encodings
+      expected_string = "text1"
+      @db.execute("INSERT INTO t1 VALUES(NULL, ?, NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL)", expected_string.encode(Encoding::ASCII_8BIT))
+      @db.execute("INSERT INTO t1 VALUES(NULL, ?, NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL)", expected_string.encode(Encoding::UTF_8))
+      @db.execute("INSERT INTO t1 VALUES(NULL, ?, NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL)", expected_string.encode(Encoding::UTF_16LE))
+      @db.execute("INSERT INTO t1 VALUES(NULL, ?, NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL)", expected_string.encode(Encoding::UTF_16BE))
+      rows = @db.execute("SELECT * FROM t1")
+      assert_equal 4, rows.size
+      assert_equal expected_string, rows[0][1]
+      assert_equal expected_string.encode(Encoding::UTF_16LE), rows[1][1]
+      assert_equal expected_string.encode(Encoding::UTF_16LE), rows[2][1]
+      assert_equal expected_string.encode(Encoding::UTF_16LE), rows[3][1]
+      assert_equal Encoding::ASCII_8BIT, rows[0][1].encoding
+      assert_equal Encoding::UTF_16LE, rows[1][1].encoding
+      assert_equal Encoding::UTF_16LE, rows[2][1].encoding
+      assert_equal Encoding::UTF_16LE, rows[3][1].encoding
+    end
 
-  def test_execute_with_bad_query
-    assert_raise(SQLite3::SQLException) { @db.execute("bad query") }
-    assert_equal %Q{near "bad": syntax error}, @db.errmsg
-    assert_equal 1, @db.errcode
-  end
+    def test_execute_with_bad_query
+      assert_raise(SQLite3::SQLException) { @db.execute("bad query") }
+      assert_equal %Q{near "bad": syntax error}, @db.errmsg
+      assert_equal 1, @db.errcode
+    end
 
-  def test_last_insert_row_id
-    @db.execute("INSERT INTO t1 VALUES(NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL)")
-    id = @db.last_insert_row_id
-    rows = @db.execute("SELECT * FROM t1 WHERE id = #{id}")
-    assert_equal 1, rows.size
-  end
+    def test_last_insert_row_id
+      @db.execute("INSERT INTO t1 VALUES(NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL)")
+      id = @db.last_insert_row_id
+      rows = @db.execute("SELECT * FROM t1 WHERE id = #{id}")
+      assert_equal 1, rows.size
+    end
 
-  # def test_execute_with_closed_database
-  #   @db.close
-  #   @db.execute("SELECT * FROM t1")
-  # end
-end
+    # def test_execute_with_closed_database
+    #   @db.close
+    #   @db.execute("SELECT * FROM t1")
+    # end
+  end
+end
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/test_database_queries_utf_8.rb b/test/test_database_queries_utf_8.rb
index b907295..e464380 100644
--- a/test/test_database_queries_utf_8.rb
+++ b/test/test_database_queries_utf_8.rb
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ def test_execute
     assert_equal 1, rows.size
     row = rows[0]
     assert_equal "text1", row[1]
-    assert_equal Encoding::UTF_8, row[1].encoding
+    assert_equal Encoding::UTF_8, row[1].encoding if RUBY_VERSION >= '1.9.1'
     assert_equal 1.22, row[2]
     assert_equal 42, row[3]
     assert_equal 4294967296, row[4]
@@ -34,30 +34,32 @@ def test_execute_with_bindings
     assert_equal 1, rows.size
     row = rows[0]
     assert_equal "text1", row[1]
-    assert_equal Encoding::UTF_8, row[1].encoding
+    assert_equal Encoding::UTF_8, row[1].encoding if RUBY_VERSION >= '1.9.1'
     assert_equal 1.22, row[2]
     assert_equal 42, row[3]
     assert_equal 4294967296, row[4]
     assert_equal blob, row[5]
-    assert_equal Encoding::ASCII_8BIT, row[5].encoding
+    assert_equal Encoding::ASCII_8BIT, row[5].encoding if RUBY_VERSION >= '1.9.1'
   end
-
-  def test_execute_with_different_encodings
-    expected_string = "text1"
-    @db.execute("INSERT INTO t1 VALUES(NULL, ?, NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL)", expected_string.encode(Encoding::ASCII_8BIT))
-    @db.execute("INSERT INTO t1 VALUES(NULL, ?, NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL)", expected_string.encode(Encoding::UTF_8))
-    @db.execute("INSERT INTO t1 VALUES(NULL, ?, NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL)", expected_string.encode(Encoding::UTF_16LE))
-    @db.execute("INSERT INTO t1 VALUES(NULL, ?, NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL)", expected_string.encode(Encoding::UTF_16BE))
-    rows = @db.execute("SELECT * FROM t1")
-    assert_equal 4, rows.size
-    assert_equal expected_string, rows[0][1]
-    assert_equal expected_string, rows[1][1]
-    assert_equal expected_string, rows[2][1]
-    assert_equal expected_string, rows[3][1]
-    assert_equal Encoding::ASCII_8BIT, rows[0][1].encoding
-    assert_equal Encoding::UTF_8, rows[1][1].encoding
-    assert_equal Encoding::UTF_8, rows[2][1].encoding
-    assert_equal Encoding::UTF_8, rows[3][1].encoding
+  
+  if RUBY_VERSION >= '1.9.1'
+    def test_execute_with_different_encodings
+      expected_string = "text1"
+      @db.execute("INSERT INTO t1 VALUES(NULL, ?, NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL)", expected_string.encode(Encoding::ASCII_8BIT))
+      @db.execute("INSERT INTO t1 VALUES(NULL, ?, NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL)", expected_string.encode(Encoding::UTF_8))
+      @db.execute("INSERT INTO t1 VALUES(NULL, ?, NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL)", expected_string.encode(Encoding::UTF_16LE))
+      @db.execute("INSERT INTO t1 VALUES(NULL, ?, NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL)", expected_string.encode(Encoding::UTF_16BE))
+      rows = @db.execute("SELECT * FROM t1")
+      assert_equal 4, rows.size
+      assert_equal expected_string, rows[0][1]
+      assert_equal expected_string, rows[1][1]
+      assert_equal expected_string, rows[2][1]
+      assert_equal expected_string, rows[3][1]
+      assert_equal Encoding::ASCII_8BIT, rows[0][1].encoding
+      assert_equal Encoding::UTF_8, rows[1][1].encoding
+      assert_equal Encoding::UTF_8, rows[2][1].encoding
+      assert_equal Encoding::UTF_8, rows[3][1].encoding
+    end
   end
 
   def test_execute_with_bad_query