diff --git a/icu4c/source/config/mh-mingw b/icu4c/source/config/mh-mingw
index 991090a7536..e8e46a870e0 100644
--- a/icu4c/source/config/mh-mingw
+++ b/icu4c/source/config/mh-mingw
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ LDLIBRARYPATH_ENVVAR = PATH
 GENCCODE_ASSEMBLY=-a gcc-cygwin
 
 # These are needed to allow the pkgdata GNU make files to work
-CPPFLAGS +=-DU_MAKE=\"$(MAKE)\"
+PKGDATA_DEFS = -DU_MAKE=\"$(MAKE)\"
 
 ## End Cygwin/MinGW specific setup
 
diff --git a/icu4c/source/tools/pkgdata/Makefile.in b/icu4c/source/tools/pkgdata/Makefile.in
index 2e24fc378c4..a2b3463fb77 100644
--- a/icu4c/source/tools/pkgdata/Makefile.in
+++ b/icu4c/source/tools/pkgdata/Makefile.in
@@ -27,6 +27,10 @@ ALL_MAN_FILES = $(MANX_FILES)
 ## Extra files to remove for 'make clean'
 CLEANFILES = *~ $(DEPS) $(ALL_MAN_FILES)
 
+ifneq ($(PKGDATA_DEFS),)
+DEFS += $(PKGDATA_DEFS)
+endif
+
 ## Target information
 TARGET = $(BINDIR)/$(TARGET_STUB_NAME)$(EXEEXT)