diff --git a/cdc/sink/mysql.go b/cdc/sink/mysql.go
index 10008810de7..5e542d0983c 100644
--- a/cdc/sink/mysql.go
+++ b/cdc/sink/mysql.go
@@ -69,6 +69,8 @@ const (
 // SyncpointTableName is the name of table where all syncpoint maps sit
 const syncpointTableName string = "syncpoint_v1"
 
+const tidbVersionString string = "TiDB"
+
 var validSchemes = map[string]bool{
 	"mysql":     true,
 	"mysql+ssl": true,
@@ -306,21 +308,37 @@ var defaultParams = &sinkParams{
 	safeMode:            defaultSafeMode,
 }
 
-func checkTiDBVariable(ctx context.Context, db *sql.DB, variableName, defaultValue string) (string, error) {
+func checkIsTiDB(ctx context.Context, db *sql.DB) (bool, error) {
+	var value string
+	querySQL := "select version();"
+	err := db.QueryRowContext(ctx, querySQL).Scan(&value)
+	if err != nil && err != sql.ErrNoRows {
+		return false, errors.Annotate(cerror.WrapError(cerror.ErrMySQLQueryError, err), "failed to select version")
+	}
+	return strings.Contains(value, tidbVersionString), nil
+}
+
+func checkTiDBVariable(ctx context.Context, db *sql.DB, variableName, defaultValue string) (
+	sinkURIParameter string,
+	err error,
+) {
 	var name string
 	var value string
 	querySQL := fmt.Sprintf("show session variables like '%s';", variableName)
-	err := db.QueryRowContext(ctx, querySQL).Scan(&name, &value)
+	err = db.QueryRowContext(ctx, querySQL).Scan(&name, &value)
 	if err != nil && err != sql.ErrNoRows {
 		errMsg := "fail to query session variable " + variableName
-		return "", errors.Annotate(cerror.WrapError(cerror.ErrMySQLQueryError, err), errMsg)
+		err = errors.Annotate(cerror.WrapError(cerror.ErrMySQLQueryError, err), errMsg)
+		return
 	}
-	// session variable works, use given default value
 	if err == nil {
-		return defaultValue, nil
+		// session variable exists, use given default value
+		sinkURIParameter = defaultValue
+	} else {
+		// session variable does not exist, sinkURIParameter is "" and will be ignored
+		err = nil
 	}
-	// session variable not exists, return "" to ignore it
-	return "", nil
+	return
 }
 
 func configureSinkURI(
@@ -359,6 +377,21 @@ func configureSinkURI(
 		dsnCfg.Params["tidb_txn_mode"] = txnMode
 	}
 
+	isTiDB, err := checkIsTiDB(ctx, testDB)
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", err
+	}
+	// variable `explicit_defaults_for_timestamp` is readonly in TiDB, we don't
+	// need to set it. Yet Default value in MySQL 5.7 is `OFF`
+	// ref: https://docs.pingcap.com/tidb/stable/mysql-compatibility#default-differences
+	if !isTiDB {
+		explicitTs, err := checkTiDBVariable(ctx, testDB, "explicit_defaults_for_timestamp", "ON")
+		if err != nil {
+			return "", err
+		}
+		dsnCfg.Params["explicit_defaults_for_timestamp"] = explicitTs
+	}
+
 	dsnClone := dsnCfg.Clone()
 	dsnClone.Passwd = "******"
 	log.Info("sink uri is configured", zap.String("format dsn", dsnClone.FormatDSN()))
diff --git a/cdc/sink/mysql_test.go b/cdc/sink/mysql_test.go
index 37f58b0e69c..cb226b03b3a 100644
--- a/cdc/sink/mysql_test.go
+++ b/cdc/sink/mysql_test.go
@@ -704,6 +704,29 @@ func (s MySQLSinkSuite) TestConfigureSinkURI(c *check.C) {
 		c.Assert(err, check.IsNil)
 		defer db.Close()
 
+		dsn, err := dmysql.ParseDSN("root:123456@tcp(127.0.0.1:4000)/")
+		c.Assert(err, check.IsNil)
+		params := defaultParams.Clone()
+		dsnStr, err := configureSinkURI(context.TODO(), dsn, params, db)
+		c.Assert(err, check.IsNil)
+		expectedParams := []string{
+			"tidb_txn_mode=optimistic",
+			"readTimeout=2m",
+			"writeTimeout=2m",
+			"allow_auto_random_explicit_insert=1",
+			"explicit_defaults_for_timestamp=ON",
+		}
+		for _, param := range expectedParams {
+			c.Assert(strings.Contains(dsnStr, param), check.IsTrue)
+		}
+		c.Assert(strings.Contains(dsnStr, "time_zone"), check.IsFalse)
+	}
+
+	testDefaultParamsTiDB := func() {
+		db, err := mockTestDBTiDB()
+		c.Assert(err, check.IsNil)
+		defer db.Close()
+
 		dsn, err := dmysql.ParseDSN("root:123456@tcp(127.0.0.1:4000)/")
 		c.Assert(err, check.IsNil)
 		params := defaultParams.Clone()
@@ -759,6 +782,7 @@ func (s MySQLSinkSuite) TestConfigureSinkURI(c *check.C) {
 	}
 
 	testDefaultParams()
+	testDefaultParamsTiDB()
 	testTimezoneParam()
 	testTimeoutParams()
 }
@@ -877,6 +901,34 @@ func mockTestDB() (*sql.DB, error) {
 	mock.ExpectQuery("show session variables like 'tidb_txn_mode';").WillReturnRows(
 		sqlmock.NewRows(columns).AddRow("tidb_txn_mode", "pessimistic"),
 	)
+	// Simulate the default value in MySQL5.7 is OFF
+	mock.ExpectQuery("select version\\(\\);").WillReturnRows(
+		sqlmock.NewRows([]string{"version"}).AddRow("5.7.32"),
+	)
+	// Simulate the default value in MySQL5.7 is OFF
+	mock.ExpectQuery("show session variables like 'explicit_defaults_for_timestamp';").WillReturnRows(
+		sqlmock.NewRows(columns).AddRow("explicit_defaults_for_timestamp", "OFF"),
+	)
+	mock.ExpectClose()
+	return db, nil
+}
+
+func mockTestDBTiDB() (*sql.DB, error) {
+	// mock for test db, which is used querying TiDB session variable
+	db, mock, err := sqlmock.New()
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	columns := []string{"Variable_name", "Value"}
+	mock.ExpectQuery("show session variables like 'allow_auto_random_explicit_insert';").WillReturnRows(
+		sqlmock.NewRows(columns).AddRow("allow_auto_random_explicit_insert", "1"),
+	)
+	mock.ExpectQuery("show session variables like 'tidb_txn_mode';").WillReturnRows(
+		sqlmock.NewRows(columns).AddRow("tidb_txn_mode", "optimistic"),
+	)
+	mock.ExpectQuery("select version\\(\\);").WillReturnRows(
+		sqlmock.NewRows([]string{"version"}).AddRow("5.7.25-TiDB-v5.0.0"),
+	)
 	mock.ExpectClose()
 	return db, nil
 }