diff --git a/changelogs/fragments/227-db-create-special-name.yaml b/changelogs/fragments/227-db-create-special-name.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..99f7e96
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelogs/fragments/227-db-create-special-name.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+bugfixes:
+  - mysql_db - Fix mismatch when database name contains a ``%`` character (https://github.com/ansible-collections/community.mysql/pull/227).
diff --git a/plugins/modules/mysql_db.py b/plugins/modules/mysql_db.py
index aa9ade0..c2a6fd8 100644
--- a/plugins/modules/mysql_db.py
+++ b/plugins/modules/mysql_db.py
@@ -330,7 +330,7 @@ executed_commands = []
 def db_exists(cursor, db):
     res = 0
     for each_db in db:
-        res += cursor.execute("SHOW DATABASES LIKE %s", (each_db.replace("_", r"\_"),))
+        res += cursor.execute("SELECT SCHEMA_NAME FROM information_schema.SCHEMATA WHERE SCHEMA_NAME = %s", (each_db,))
     return res == len(db)
 
 
@@ -519,7 +519,8 @@ def db_create(cursor, db, encoding, collation):
     query_params = dict(enc=encoding, collate=collation)
     res = 0
     for each_db in db:
-        query = ['CREATE DATABASE %s' % mysql_quote_identifier(each_db, 'database')]
+        # Escape '%' since mysql cursor.execute() uses a format string
+        query = ['CREATE DATABASE %s' % mysql_quote_identifier(each_db, 'database').replace('%', '%%')]
         if encoding:
             query.append("CHARACTER SET %(enc)s")
         if collation:
diff --git a/tests/integration/targets/test_mysql_db/tasks/main.yml b/tests/integration/targets/test_mysql_db/tasks/main.yml
index 139d5bb..def6a97 100644
--- a/tests/integration/targets/test_mysql_db/tasks/main.yml
+++ b/tests/integration/targets/test_mysql_db/tasks/main.yml
@@ -21,297 +21,18 @@
 # You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
 # along with Ansible.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 
-# ============================================================
 - name: alias mysql command to include default options
   set_fact:
     mysql_command: "mysql -u{{ mysql_user }} -p{{ mysql_password }} -P{{ mysql_primary_port }} --protocol=tcp"
 
-- name: remove database if it exists
-  command: >
-    "{{ mysql_command }} -sse 'drop database {{ db_name }}'"
-  ignore_errors: True
+- include: state_present_absent.yml
 
-- name: make sure the test database is not there
-  command: "{{ mysql_command }} {{ db_name }}"
-  register: mysql_db_check
-  failed_when: "'1049' not in mysql_db_check.stderr"
+- include: state_present_absent.yml db_name="db%"
 
-- name: test state=present for a database name (expect changed=true)
-  mysql_db:
-    login_user: '{{ mysql_user }}'
-    login_password: '{{ mysql_password }}'
-    login_host: 127.0.0.1
-    login_port: '{{ mysql_primary_port }}'
-    name: '{{ db_name }}'
-    state: present
-  register: result
-
-- name: assert output message that database exist
-  assert:
-    that:
-      - result is changed
-      - result.db == '{{ db_name }}'
-      - result.executed_commands == ["CREATE DATABASE `{{ db_name }}`"]
-
-- name: run command to test state=present for a database name (expect db_name in stdout)
-  command: "{{ mysql_command }} -e \"show databases like '{{ db_name }}'\""
-  register: result
-
-- name: assert database exist
-  assert:
-    that:
-      - "'{{ db_name }}' in result.stdout"
-
-# ============================================================
-- name: test state=absent for a database name (expect changed=true)
-  mysql_db:
-    login_user: '{{ mysql_user }}'
-    login_password: '{{ mysql_password }}'
-    login_host: 127.0.0.1
-    login_port: '{{ mysql_primary_port }}'
-    name: '{{ db_name }}'
-    state: absent
-  register: result
-
-- name: assert output message that database does not exist
-  assert:
-    that:
-      - result is changed
-      - result.db == '{{ db_name }}'
-      - result.executed_commands == ["DROP DATABASE `{{ db_name }}`"]
-
-- name: run command to test state=absent for a database name (expect db_name not in stdout)
-  command: "{{ mysql_command }} -e \"show databases like '{{ db_name }}'\""
-  register: result
-
-- name: assert database does not exist
-  assert:
-    that:
-      - "'{{ db_name }}' not in result.stdout"
-
-# ============================================================
-- name: test mysql_db encoding param not valid - issue 8075
-  mysql_db:
-    login_user: '{{ mysql_user }}'
-    login_password: '{{ mysql_password }}'
-    login_host: 127.0.0.1
-    login_port: '{{ mysql_primary_port }}'
-    name: datanotvalid
-    state: present
-    encoding: notvalid
-  register: result
-  ignore_errors: true
-
-- name: assert test mysql_db encoding param not valid - issue 8075 (failed=true)
-  assert:
-    that:
-      - "result.failed == true"
-      - "'Traceback' not in result.msg"
-      - "'Unknown character set' in result.msg"
-
-# ============================================================
-- name: test mysql_db using a valid encoding utf8 (expect changed=true)
-  mysql_db:
-    login_user: '{{ mysql_user }}'
-    login_password: '{{ mysql_password }}'
-    login_host: 127.0.0.1
-    login_port: '{{ mysql_primary_port }}'
-    name: 'en{{ db_name }}'
-    state: present
-    encoding: utf8
-  register: result
-
-- name: assert output message created a database
-  assert:
-    that:
-      - result is changed
-      - result.executed_commands == ["CREATE DATABASE `en{{ db_name }}` CHARACTER SET 'utf8'"]
-
-- name: test database was created
-  command: "{{ mysql_command }} -e \"SHOW CREATE DATABASE en{{ db_name }}\""
-  register: result
-
-- name: assert created database is of encoding utf8
-  assert:
-    that:
-      - "'utf8' in result.stdout"
-
-- name: remove database
-  mysql_db:
-    login_user: '{{ mysql_user }}'
-    login_password: '{{ mysql_password }}'
-    login_host: 127.0.0.1
-    login_port: '{{ mysql_primary_port }}'
-    name: 'en{{ db_name }}'
-    state: absent
-
-# ============================================================
-- name: test mysql_db using valid encoding binary (expect changed=true)
-  mysql_db:
-    login_user: '{{ mysql_user }}'
-    login_password: '{{ mysql_password }}'
-    login_host: 127.0.0.1
-    login_port: '{{ mysql_primary_port }}'
-    name: 'en{{ db_name }}'
-    state: present
-    encoding: binary
-  register: result
-
-- name: assert output message that database was created
-  assert:
-    that:
-      - result is changed
-      - result.executed_commands == ["CREATE DATABASE `en{{ db_name }}` CHARACTER SET 'binary'"]
-
-- name: run command to test database was created
-  command: "{{ mysql_command }} -e \"SHOW CREATE DATABASE en{{ db_name }}\""
-  register: result
-
-- name: assert created database is of encoding binary
-  assert:
-    that:
-      - "'binary' in result.stdout"
-
-- name: remove database
-  mysql_db:
-    login_user: '{{ mysql_user }}'
-    login_password: '{{ mysql_password }}'
-    login_host: 127.0.0.1
-    login_port: '{{ mysql_primary_port }}'
-    name: 'en{{ db_name }}'
-    state: absent
-
-# ============================================================
-- name: create user1 to access database dbuser1
-  mysql_user:
-    login_user: '{{ mysql_user }}'
-    login_password: '{{ mysql_password }}'
-    login_host: 127.0.0.1
-    login_port: '{{ mysql_primary_port }}'
-    name: user1
-    password: 'Hfd6fds^dfA8Ga'
-    priv: '*.*:ALL'
-    state: present
-
-- name: create database dbuser1 using user1
-  mysql_db:
-    login_user: user1
-    login_password: 'Hfd6fds^dfA8Ga'
-    login_host: 127.0.0.1
-    login_port: '{{ mysql_primary_port }}'
-    name: '{{ db_user1 }}'
-    state: present
-  register: result
-
-- name: assert output message that database was created
-  assert:
-    that:
-      - "result.changed == true"
-
-- name: run command to test database was created using user1
-  command: "{{ mysql_command }} -e \"show databases like '{{ db_user1 }}'\""
-  register: result
-
-- name: assert database exist
-  assert:
-    that:
-      - "'{{ db_user1 }}' in result.stdout"
-
-# ============================================================
-- name: create user2 to access database with privilege select only
-  mysql_user:
-    login_user: '{{ mysql_user }}'
-    login_password: '{{ mysql_password }}'
-    login_host: 127.0.0.1
-    login_port: '{{ mysql_primary_port }}'
-    name: user2
-    password: 'kjsfd&F7safjad'
-    priv: '*.*:SELECT'
-    state: present
-
-- name: create database dbuser2 using user2 with no privilege to create (expect failed=true)
-  mysql_db:
-    login_user: user2
-    login_password: 'kjsfd&F7safjad'
-    login_host: 127.0.0.1
-    login_port: '{{ mysql_primary_port }}'
-    name: '{{ db_user2 }}'
-    state: present
-  register: result
-  ignore_errors: true
-
-- name: assert output message that database was not created using dbuser2
-  assert:
-    that:
-      - "result.failed == true"
-      - "'Access denied' in result.msg"
-
-- name: run command to test that database was not created
-  command: "{{ mysql_command }} -e \"show databases like '{{ db_user2 }}'\""
-  register: result
-
-- name: assert database does not exist
-  assert:
-    that:
-      - "'{{ db_user2 }}' not in result.stdout"
-
-# ============================================================
-- name: delete database using user2 with no privilege to delete (expect failed=true)
-  mysql_db:
-    login_user: user2
-    login_password: 'kjsfd&F7safjad'
-    login_host: 127.0.0.1
-    login_port: '{{ mysql_primary_port }}'
-    name: '{{ db_user1 }}'
-    state: absent
-  register: result
-  ignore_errors: true
-
-- name: assert output message that database was not deleted using dbuser2
-  assert:
-    that:
-      - "result.failed == true"
-      - "'Access denied' in result.msg"
-
-- name: run command to test database was not deleted
-  command: "{{ mysql_command }} -e \"show databases like '{{ db_user1 }}'\""
-  register: result
-
-- name: assert database still exist
-  assert:
-    that:
-      - "'{{ db_user1 }}' in result.stdout"
-
-# ============================================================
-- name: delete database using user1 with all privilege to delete a database (expect changed=true)
-  mysql_db:
-    login_user: user1
-    login_password: 'Hfd6fds^dfA8Ga'
-    login_host: 127.0.0.1
-    login_port: '{{ mysql_primary_port }}'
-    name: '{{ db_user1 }}'
-    state: absent
-  register: result
-  ignore_errors: true
-
-- name: assert output message that database was deleted using user1
-  assert:
-    that:
-      - result is changed
-      - result.executed_commands == ["DROP DATABASE `{{ db_user1 }}`"]
-
-- name: run command to test database was deleted using user1
-  command: "{{ mysql_command }} -e \"show databases like '{{ db_name }}'\""
-  register: result
-
-- name: assert database does not exist
-  assert:
-    that:
-      - "'{{ db_user1 }}' not in result.stdout"
-
-# ============================================================
 - include: state_dump_import.yml format_type=sql file=dbdata.sql format_msg_type=ASCII file2=dump2.sql file3=dump3.sql file4=dump4.sql
 
+- include: state_dump_import.yml format_type=sql file=dbdata.sql format_msg_type=ASCII file2=dump2.sql file3=dump3.sql file4=dump4.sql db_name="db%"
+
 - include: state_dump_import.yml format_type=gz  file=dbdata.gz format_msg_type=gzip file2=dump2.gz file3=dump3.gz file4=dump4.gz
 
 - include: state_dump_import.yml format_type=bz2 file=dbdata.bz2 format_msg_type=bzip2 file2=dump2.bz2 file3=dump3.bz2 file4=dump4.bz2
diff --git a/tests/integration/targets/test_mysql_db/tasks/state_present_absent.yml b/tests/integration/targets/test_mysql_db/tasks/state_present_absent.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..02411f0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/integration/targets/test_mysql_db/tasks/state_present_absent.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,300 @@
+# test code for mysql_db module with database name containing special chars
+
+# This file is part of Ansible
+#
+# Ansible is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+# it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+# the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+# (at your option) any later version.
+#
+# Ansible is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+# but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+# MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+# GNU General Public License for more details.
+#
+# You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+# along with Ansible.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+
+# ============================================================
+- name: remove database if it exists
+  command: >
+    "{{ mysql_command }} -sse 'drop database {{ db_name }}'"
+  ignore_errors: True
+
+- name: make sure the test database is not there
+  command: "{{ mysql_command }} {{ db_name }}"
+  register: mysql_db_check
+  failed_when: "'1049' not in mysql_db_check.stderr"
+
+- name: test state=present for a database name (expect changed=true)
+  mysql_db:
+    login_user: '{{ mysql_user }}'
+    login_password: '{{ mysql_password }}'
+    login_host: 127.0.0.1
+    login_port: '{{ mysql_primary_port }}'
+    name: '{{ db_name }}'
+    state: present
+  register: result
+
+- name: assert output message that database exist
+  assert:
+    that:
+      - result is changed
+      - result.db == '{{ db_name }}'
+      - result.executed_commands == ["CREATE DATABASE `{{ db_name }}`"]
+
+- name: run command to test state=present for a database name (expect db_name in stdout)
+  command: "{{ mysql_command }} -e \"show databases like '{{ db_name | regex_replace(\"([%_\\\\])\", \"\\\\\\1\") }}'\""
+  register: result
+
+- name: assert database exist
+  assert:
+    that:
+      - "'{{ db_name }}' in result.stdout"
+
+# ============================================================
+- name: test state=absent for a database name (expect changed=true)
+  mysql_db:
+    login_user: '{{ mysql_user }}'
+    login_password: '{{ mysql_password }}'
+    login_host: 127.0.0.1
+    login_port: '{{ mysql_primary_port }}'
+    name: '{{ db_name }}'
+    state: absent
+  register: result
+
+- name: assert output message that database does not exist
+  assert:
+    that:
+      - result is changed
+      - result.db == '{{ db_name }}'
+      - result.executed_commands == ["DROP DATABASE `{{ db_name }}`"]
+
+- name: run command to test state=absent for a database name (expect db_name not in stdout)
+  command: "{{ mysql_command }} -e \"show databases like '{{ db_name | regex_replace(\"([%_\\\\])\", \"\\\\\\1\") }}'\""
+  register: result
+
+- name: assert database does not exist
+  assert:
+    that:
+      - "'{{ db_name }}' not in result.stdout"
+
+# ============================================================
+- name: test mysql_db encoding param not valid - issue 8075
+  mysql_db:
+    login_user: '{{ mysql_user }}'
+    login_password: '{{ mysql_password }}'
+    login_host: 127.0.0.1
+    login_port: '{{ mysql_primary_port }}'
+    name: datanotvalid
+    state: present
+    encoding: notvalid
+  register: result
+  ignore_errors: true
+
+- name: assert test mysql_db encoding param not valid - issue 8075 (failed=true)
+  assert:
+    that:
+      - "result.failed == true"
+      - "'Traceback' not in result.msg"
+      - "'Unknown character set' in result.msg"
+
+# ============================================================
+- name: test mysql_db using a valid encoding utf8 (expect changed=true)
+  mysql_db:
+    login_user: '{{ mysql_user }}'
+    login_password: '{{ mysql_password }}'
+    login_host: 127.0.0.1
+    login_port: '{{ mysql_primary_port }}'
+    name: 'en{{ db_name }}'
+    state: present
+    encoding: utf8
+  register: result
+
+- name: assert output message created a database
+  assert:
+    that:
+      - result is changed
+      - result.executed_commands == ["CREATE DATABASE `en{{ db_name }}` CHARACTER SET 'utf8'"]
+
+- name: test database was created
+  command: "{{ mysql_command }} -e \"SHOW CREATE DATABASE `en{{ db_name }}`\""
+  register: result
+
+- name: assert created database is of encoding utf8
+  assert:
+    that:
+      - "'utf8' in result.stdout"
+
+- name: remove database
+  mysql_db:
+    login_user: '{{ mysql_user }}'
+    login_password: '{{ mysql_password }}'
+    login_host: 127.0.0.1
+    login_port: '{{ mysql_primary_port }}'
+    name: 'en{{ db_name }}'
+    state: absent
+
+# ============================================================
+- name: test mysql_db using valid encoding binary (expect changed=true)
+  mysql_db:
+    login_user: '{{ mysql_user }}'
+    login_password: '{{ mysql_password }}'
+    login_host: 127.0.0.1
+    login_port: '{{ mysql_primary_port }}'
+    name: 'en{{ db_name }}'
+    state: present
+    encoding: binary
+  register: result
+
+- name: assert output message that database was created
+  assert:
+    that:
+      - result is changed
+      - result.executed_commands == ["CREATE DATABASE `en{{ db_name }}` CHARACTER SET 'binary'"]
+
+- name: run command to test database was created
+  command: "{{ mysql_command }} -e \"SHOW CREATE DATABASE `en{{ db_name }}`\""
+  register: result
+
+- name: assert created database is of encoding binary
+  assert:
+    that:
+      - "'binary' in result.stdout"
+
+- name: remove database
+  mysql_db:
+    login_user: '{{ mysql_user }}'
+    login_password: '{{ mysql_password }}'
+    login_host: 127.0.0.1
+    login_port: '{{ mysql_primary_port }}'
+    name: 'en{{ db_name }}'
+    state: absent
+
+# ============================================================
+- name: create user1 to access database dbuser1
+  mysql_user:
+    login_user: '{{ mysql_user }}'
+    login_password: '{{ mysql_password }}'
+    login_host: 127.0.0.1
+    login_port: '{{ mysql_primary_port }}'
+    name: user1
+    password: 'Hfd6fds^dfA8Ga'
+    priv: '*.*:ALL'
+    state: present
+
+- name: create database dbuser1 using user1
+  mysql_db:
+    login_user: user1
+    login_password: 'Hfd6fds^dfA8Ga'
+    login_host: 127.0.0.1
+    login_port: '{{ mysql_primary_port }}'
+    name: '{{ db_user1 }}'
+    state: present
+  register: result
+
+- name: assert output message that database was created
+  assert:
+    that:
+      - "result.changed == true"
+
+- name: run command to test database was created using user1
+  command: "{{ mysql_command }} -e \"show databases like '{{ db_user1 | regex_replace(\"([%_\\\\])\", \"\\\\\\1\") }}'\""
+  register: result
+
+- name: assert database exist
+  assert:
+    that:
+      - "'{{ db_user1 }}' in result.stdout"
+
+# ============================================================
+- name: create user2 to access database with privilege select only
+  mysql_user:
+    login_user: '{{ mysql_user }}'
+    login_password: '{{ mysql_password }}'
+    login_host: 127.0.0.1
+    login_port: '{{ mysql_primary_port }}'
+    name: user2
+    password: 'kjsfd&F7safjad'
+    priv: '*.*:SELECT'
+    state: present
+
+- name: create database dbuser2 using user2 with no privilege to create (expect failed=true)
+  mysql_db:
+    login_user: user2
+    login_password: 'kjsfd&F7safjad'
+    login_host: 127.0.0.1
+    login_port: '{{ mysql_primary_port }}'
+    name: '{{ db_user2 }}'
+    state: present
+  register: result
+  ignore_errors: true
+
+- name: assert output message that database was not created using dbuser2
+  assert:
+    that:
+      - "result.failed == true"
+      - "'Access denied' in result.msg"
+
+- name: run command to test that database was not created
+  command: "{{ mysql_command }} -e \"show databases like '{{ db_user2 | regex_replace(\"([%_\\\\])\", \"\\\\\\1\") }}'\""
+  register: result
+
+- name: assert database does not exist
+  assert:
+    that:
+      - "'{{ db_user2 }}' not in result.stdout"
+
+# ============================================================
+- name: delete database using user2 with no privilege to delete (expect failed=true)
+  mysql_db:
+    login_user: user2
+    login_password: 'kjsfd&F7safjad'
+    login_host: 127.0.0.1
+    login_port: '{{ mysql_primary_port }}'
+    name: '{{ db_user1 }}'
+    state: absent
+  register: result
+  ignore_errors: true
+
+- name: assert output message that database was not deleted using dbuser2
+  assert:
+    that:
+      - "result.failed == true"
+      - "'Access denied' in result.msg"
+
+- name: run command to test database was not deleted
+  command: "{{ mysql_command }} -e \"show databases like '{{ db_user1 | regex_replace(\"([%_\\\\])\", \"\\\\\\1\") }}'\""
+  register: result
+
+- name: assert database still exist
+  assert:
+    that:
+      - "'{{ db_user1 }}' in result.stdout"
+
+# ============================================================
+- name: delete database using user1 with all privilege to delete a database (expect changed=true)
+  mysql_db:
+    login_user: user1
+    login_password: 'Hfd6fds^dfA8Ga'
+    login_host: 127.0.0.1
+    login_port: '{{ mysql_primary_port }}'
+    name: '{{ db_user1 }}'
+    state: absent
+  register: result
+  ignore_errors: true
+
+- name: assert output message that database was deleted using user1
+  assert:
+    that:
+      - result is changed
+      - result.executed_commands == ["DROP DATABASE `{{ db_user1 }}`"]
+
+- name: run command to test database was deleted using user1
+  command: "{{ mysql_command }} -e \"show databases like '{{ db_name | regex_replace(\"([%_\\\\])\", \"\\\\\\1\") }}'\""
+  register: result
+
+- name: assert database does not exist
+  assert:
+    that:
+      - "'{{ db_user1 }}' not in result.stdout"