diff --git a/gluon/dal.py b/gluon/dal.py
index 71d220a9..9397706c 100644
--- a/gluon/dal.py
+++ b/gluon/dal.py
@@ -1399,12 +1399,13 @@ class BaseAdapter(ConnectionPool):
 
     def LIKE(self, first, second):
         """Case sensitive like operator"""
-        raise NotImplementedError
+        return '(%s LIKE %s)' % (self.expand(first),
+                                 self.expand(second, 'string'))
 
     def ILIKE(self, first, second):
         """Case insensitive like operator"""
-        return '(%s LIKE %s)' % (self.expand(first),
-                                 self.expand(second, 'string'))
+        return '(LOWER(%s) LIKE %s)' % (self.expand(first),
+                                 self.expand(second, 'string').lower())
 
     def STARTSWITH(self, first, second):
         return '(%s LIKE %s)' % (self.expand(first),
@@ -1414,7 +1415,7 @@ class BaseAdapter(ConnectionPool):
         return '(%s LIKE %s)' % (self.expand(first),
                                  self.expand('%'+second, 'string'))
 
-    def CONTAINS(self, first, second, case_sensitive=False):
+    def CONTAINS(self, first, second, case_sensitive=True):
         if first.type in ('string', 'text', 'json'):
             if isinstance(second, Expression):
                 second = Expression(None, self.CONCAT('%', Expression(
@@ -2924,11 +2925,11 @@ class PostgreSQLAdapter(BaseAdapter):
                               self.expand(second, 'string'))
 
     def STARTSWITH(self, first, second):
-        return '(%s ILIKE %s)' % (self.expand(first),
+        return '(%s LIKE %s)' % (self.expand(first),
                                   self.expand(second+'%', 'string'))
 
     def ENDSWITH(self, first, second):
-        return '(%s ILIKE %s)' % (self.expand(first),
+        return '(%s LIKE %s)' % (self.expand(first),
                                   self.expand('%'+second, 'string'))
 
     # GIS functions
@@ -9739,7 +9740,7 @@ class Expression(object):
         db = self.db
         return Query(db, db._adapter.GE, self, value)
 
-    def like(self, value, case_sensitive=False):
+    def like(self, value, case_sensitive=True):
         db = self.db
         op = case_sensitive and db._adapter.LIKE or db._adapter.ILIKE
         return Query(db, op, self, value)
diff --git a/gluon/tests/test_dal.py b/gluon/tests/test_dal.py
index f3835a77..8c95b7af 100644
--- a/gluon/tests/test_dal.py
+++ b/gluon/tests/test_dal.py
@@ -381,14 +381,35 @@ class TestLike(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertEqual(db(db.tt.aa.like('%b%')).count(), 1)
         self.assertEqual(db(db.tt.aa.like('%c')).count(), 1)
         self.assertEqual(db(db.tt.aa.like('%d%')).count(), 0)
-        self.assertEqual(db(db.tt.aa.lower().like('A%')).count(), 1)
-        self.assertEqual(db(db.tt.aa.lower().like('%B%')).count(),
-                         1)
-        self.assertEqual(db(db.tt.aa.lower().like('%C')).count(), 1)
-        self.assertEqual(db(db.tt.aa.upper().like('A%')).count(), 1)
-        self.assertEqual(db(db.tt.aa.upper().like('%B%')).count(),
-                         1)
-        self.assertEqual(db(db.tt.aa.upper().like('%C')).count(), 1)
+        #DAL maps like() (and contains(), startswith(), endswith())
+        #to the LIKE operator, that in ANSI-SQL is case-sensitive
+        #There are backends supporting case-sensitivity by default
+        #and backends that needs additional care to turn
+        #case-sensitivity on. To discern among those, let's run
+        #this query comparing previously inserted 'abc' with 'ABC':
+        #if the result is 0, then the backend recognizes
+        #case-sensitivity, if 1 it isn't
+        is_case_insensitive = db(db.tt.aa.like('%ABC%')).count()
+        if is_case_insensitive:
+            self.assertEqual(db(db.tt.aa.like('A%')).count(), 1)
+            self.assertEqual(db(db.tt.aa.like('%B%')).count(), 1)
+            self.assertEqual(db(db.tt.aa.like('%C')).count(), 1)
+            self.assertEqual(db(db.tt.aa.like('A%', case_sensitive=False)).count(), 1)
+            self.assertEqual(db(db.tt.aa.like('%B%', case_sensitive=False)).count(), 1)
+            self.assertEqual(db(db.tt.aa.like('%C', case_sensitive=False)).count(), 1)
+            self.assertEqual(db(db.tt.aa.upper().like('A%')).count(), 1)
+            self.assertEqual(db(db.tt.aa.upper().like('%B%')).count(),1)
+            self.assertEqual(db(db.tt.aa.upper().like('%C')).count(), 1)
+        else:
+            self.assertEqual(db(db.tt.aa.like('A%')).count(), 0)
+            self.assertEqual(db(db.tt.aa.like('%B%')).count(), 0)
+            self.assertEqual(db(db.tt.aa.like('%C')).count(), 0)
+            self.assertEqual(db(db.tt.aa.like('A%', case_sensitive=False)).count(), 1)
+            self.assertEqual(db(db.tt.aa.like('%B%', case_sensitive=False)).count(), 1)
+            self.assertEqual(db(db.tt.aa.like('%C', case_sensitive=False)).count(), 1)
+            self.assertEqual(db(db.tt.aa.upper().like('A%')).count(), 1)
+            self.assertEqual(db(db.tt.aa.upper().like('%B%')).count(),1)
+            self.assertEqual(db(db.tt.aa.upper().like('%C')).count(), 1)
         db.tt.drop()
         db.define_table('tt', Field('aa', 'integer'))
         self.assertEqual(db.tt.insert(aa=1111111111), 1)