diff --git a/icu4c/source/samples/translit/Makefile b/icu4c/source/samples/translit/Makefile
index bbf3981beaf..cba53c5e3ff 100644
--- a/icu4c/source/samples/translit/Makefile
+++ b/icu4c/source/samples/translit/Makefile
@@ -16,9 +16,9 @@
 ICU_DEFAULT_PREFIX=~/icu
 
 ifeq ($(strip $(ICU_PREFIX)),)
-  ICU_INC=$(ICU_DEFAULT_PREFIX)/share/icu/Makefile.inc
+  ICU_INC=$(ICU_DEFAULT_PREFIX)/lib/icu/Makefile.inc
 else
-  ICU_INC=$(ICU_PREFIX)/share/icu/Makefile.inc
+  ICU_INC=$(ICU_PREFIX)/lib/icu/Makefile.inc
 endif
 ICUPATH=