diff --git a/icu4c/source/samples/XMLConverter/Makefile.in b/icu4c/source/samples/XMLConverter/Makefile.in
index f498ee03cef..e21935240da 100644
--- a/icu4c/source/samples/XMLConverter/Makefile.in
+++ b/icu4c/source/samples/XMLConverter/Makefile.in
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ Makefile: $(srcdir)/Makefile.in  $(top_builddir)/config.status
 	 && CONFIG_FILES=$(subdir)/$@ CONFIG_HEADERS= $(SHELL) ./config.status
 
 $(TARGET) : $(OBJECTS)
-	$(LINK.c) -o $@ $^ $(LIBS)
+	$(LINK.cc) -o $@ $^ $(LIBS)
 
 ifeq (,$(MAKECMDGOALS))
 -include $(DEPS)