diff --git a/icu4c/source/Makefile.in b/icu4c/source/Makefile.in
index cb867f8b41c..bd57e43256f 100644
--- a/icu4c/source/Makefile.in
+++ b/icu4c/source/Makefile.in
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ all-recursive install-recursive clean-recursive distclean-recursive dist-recursi
 	  (cd $$subdir && $(MAKE) $$local_target) || exit; \
 	done; \
 	if test "$$dot_seen" = "no"; then \
-	  $(MAKE) "$$target-local" || exit 1; \
+	  $(MAKE) "$$target-local" || exit; \
 	fi
 
 all-local: $(srcdir)/configure builddata
diff --git a/icu4c/source/extra/Makefile.in b/icu4c/source/extra/Makefile.in
index 32a5fb873c9..3b8f467b888 100644
--- a/icu4c/source/extra/Makefile.in
+++ b/icu4c/source/extra/Makefile.in
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ all-recursive install-recursive clean-recursive distclean-recursive dist-recursi
 	  (cd $$subdir && $(MAKE) $$local_target) || exit; \
 	done; \
 	if test "$$dot_seen" = "no"; then \
-	  $(MAKE) "$$target-local" || exit 1; \
+	  $(MAKE) "$$target-local" || exit; \
 	fi
 
 all-local:
diff --git a/icu4c/source/samples/Makefile.in b/icu4c/source/samples/Makefile.in
index 2cb0d7926be..fde8c9d4a09 100644
--- a/icu4c/source/samples/Makefile.in
+++ b/icu4c/source/samples/Makefile.in
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ all-recursive install-recursive clean-recursive distclean-recursive dist-recursi
 	  (cd $$subdir && $(MAKE) $$local_target) || exit; \
 	done; \
 	if test "$$dot_seen" = "no"; then \
-	  $(MAKE) "$$target-local" || exit 1; \
+	  $(MAKE) "$$target-local" || exit; \
 	fi
 
 all-local:
diff --git a/icu4c/source/test/Makefile.in b/icu4c/source/test/Makefile.in
index 6db2bc531e6..bd48deca447 100644
--- a/icu4c/source/test/Makefile.in
+++ b/icu4c/source/test/Makefile.in
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ all-recursive install-recursive clean-recursive distclean-recursive dist-recursi
 	  (cd $$subdir && $(MAKE) $$local_target) || exit; \
 	done; \
 	if test "$$dot_seen" = "no"; then \
-	  $(MAKE) "$$target-local" || exit 1; \
+	  $(MAKE) "$$target-local" || exit; \
 	fi
 
 all-local:
diff --git a/icu4c/source/tools/Makefile.in b/icu4c/source/tools/Makefile.in
index 1de6f9ba1ad..b47d4167566 100644
--- a/icu4c/source/tools/Makefile.in
+++ b/icu4c/source/tools/Makefile.in
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ all-recursive install-recursive clean-recursive distclean-recursive dist-recursi
 	  (cd $$subdir && $(MAKE) $$local_target) || exit; \
 	done; \
 	if test "$$dot_seen" = "no"; then \
-	  $(MAKE) "$$target-local" || exit 1; \
+	  $(MAKE) "$$target-local" || exit; \
 	fi
 
 all-local: build-local