diff --git a/icu4c/source/tools/gencfu/gencfu.cpp b/icu4c/source/tools/gencfu/gencfu.cpp
index 954cb117ab9..b50d6cbb684 100644
--- a/icu4c/source/tools/gencfu/gencfu.cpp
+++ b/icu4c/source/tools/gencfu/gencfu.cpp
@@ -319,7 +319,7 @@ int  main(int argc, char **argv) {
     long t = fread(result, 1, fileSize, file);
     if (t != fileSize)  {
         delete [] result;
-        close(file);
+        fclose(file);
         return NULL;
     }
     result[fileSize]=0;