diff --git a/icu4c/source/i18n/tzfmt.cpp b/icu4c/source/i18n/tzfmt.cpp
index 7f7d92f8c03..ed53438c414 100644
--- a/icu4c/source/i18n/tzfmt.cpp
+++ b/icu4c/source/i18n/tzfmt.cpp
@@ -2642,6 +2642,9 @@ TimeZoneFormat::initGMTOffsetPatterns(UErrorCode& status) {
             break;
         }
     }
+    if (U_FAILURE(status)) {
+        return;
+    }
     checkAbuttingHoursAndMinutes();
 }