diff --git a/icu4c/source/common/unicode/pwin32.h b/icu4c/source/common/unicode/pwin32.h
index 292e73a0efa..5d5003262e5 100644
--- a/icu4c/source/common/unicode/pwin32.h
+++ b/icu4c/source/common/unicode/pwin32.h
@@ -252,4 +252,7 @@ typedef unsigned int uint32_t;
 /* Programs used by ICU code                                                 */
 /*===========================================================================*/
 
+#ifndef U_MAKE
 #define U_MAKE  "nmake"
+#define U_MAKE_IS_NMAKE 1
+#endif
diff --git a/icu4c/source/config/mh-mingw b/icu4c/source/config/mh-mingw
index 8ff362c815d..991090a7536 100644
--- a/icu4c/source/config/mh-mingw
+++ b/icu4c/source/config/mh-mingw
@@ -121,9 +121,8 @@ LDLIBRARYPATH_ENVVAR = PATH
 # The type of assembly to write for generating an object file
 GENCCODE_ASSEMBLY=-a gcc-cygwin
 
-# These are needed to allow the pkgdata nmake files to work
-PKGDATA_OPTS = -v
-PKGDATA_INVOKE_OPTS = MAKEFLAGS=
+# These are needed to allow the pkgdata GNU make files to work
+CPPFLAGS +=-DU_MAKE=\"$(MAKE)\"
 
 ## End Cygwin/MinGW specific setup
 
diff --git a/icu4c/source/tools/pkgdata/dllmode.c b/icu4c/source/tools/pkgdata/dllmode.c
index fe68674691b..f3b70432388 100644
--- a/icu4c/source/tools/pkgdata/dllmode.c
+++ b/icu4c/source/tools/pkgdata/dllmode.c
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
 #include "unicode/utypes.h"
 #include "unicode/putil.h"
 
-#ifndef WIN32
+#ifndef U_MAKE_IS_NMAKE
 #include "cmemory.h"
 #include "cstring.h"
 #include "filestrm.h"
@@ -285,5 +285,5 @@ void pkg_mode_dll(UPKGOptions *o, FileStream *makefile, UErrorCode *status)
     
 }
 
-#endif  /* #ifndef WIN32 */
+#endif  /* #ifndef U_MAKE_IS_NMAKE */
 
diff --git a/icu4c/source/tools/pkgdata/make.c b/icu4c/source/tools/pkgdata/make.c
index 82373401803..0d794ecca9d 100644
--- a/icu4c/source/tools/pkgdata/make.c
+++ b/icu4c/source/tools/pkgdata/make.c
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@
 #include "cstring.h"
 #include <stdio.h>
 
-#ifdef WIN32
+#ifdef U_MAKE_IS_NMAKE
 
 char linebuf[2048];
 
diff --git a/icu4c/source/tools/pkgdata/makefile.h b/icu4c/source/tools/pkgdata/makefile.h
index 599ec94725b..0b1bbe9738d 100644
--- a/icu4c/source/tools/pkgdata/makefile.h
+++ b/icu4c/source/tools/pkgdata/makefile.h
@@ -41,9 +41,9 @@ pkg_mak_writeFooter(FileStream *f, const UPKGOptions *o);
 
 
 
-#ifdef WIN32
+#ifdef U_MAKE_IS_NMAKE
 extern void pkg_mode_windows(UPKGOptions *o, FileStream *makefile, UErrorCode *status);
-#else /*#ifdef WIN32*/
+#else /*#ifdef U_MAKE_IS_NMAKE*/
 /**
  * Write stanzas for generating .o (and .c) files for each data file in 'o->filePaths'.
  * @param o Package options struct
diff --git a/icu4c/source/tools/pkgdata/pkgdata.c b/icu4c/source/tools/pkgdata/pkgdata.c
index d6e9cf18df1..041ebdbf7e6 100644
--- a/icu4c/source/tools/pkgdata/pkgdata.c
+++ b/icu4c/source/tools/pkgdata/pkgdata.c
@@ -59,17 +59,17 @@ static struct
 } modes[] =
 {
     { "files", 0, pkg_mode_files, "Uses raw data files (no effect). Installation copies all files to the target location." },
-#ifdef WIN32
+#ifdef U_MAKE_IS_NMAKE
     { "dll",    "library", pkg_mode_windows,    "Generates one common data file and one shared library, <package>.dll"},
     { "common", "archive", pkg_mode_windows,    "Generates just the common file, <package>.dat"},
     { "static", "static",  pkg_mode_windows,    "Generates one statically linked library, " LIB_PREFIX "<package>" UDATA_LIB_SUFFIX }
-#else /*#ifdef WIN32*/
+#else /*#ifdef U_MAKE_IS_NMAKE*/
 #ifdef UDATA_SO_SUFFIX
     { "dll",    "library", pkg_mode_dll,    "Generates one shared library, <package>" UDATA_SO_SUFFIX },
 #endif
     { "common", "archive", pkg_mode_common, "Generates one common data file, <package>.dat" },
     { "static", "static",  pkg_mode_static, "Generates one statically linked library, " LIB_PREFIX "<package>" UDATA_LIB_SUFFIX }
-#endif /*#ifdef WIN32*/
+#endif /*#ifdef U_MAKE_IS_NMAKE*/
 };
 
 static UOption options[]={
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ static UOption options[]={
 
 const char options_help[][320]={
     "Set the data name",
-#ifdef WIN32
+#ifdef U_MAKE_IS_NMAKE
     "The directory where the ICU is located (e.g. <ICUROOT> which contains the bin directory)",
 #else
     "Specify options for the builder. (Autdetected if icu-config is available)",
@@ -171,7 +171,7 @@ main(int argc, char* argv[]) {
             /* Try to fill in from icu-config or equivalent */
             fillInMakefileFromICUConfig(&options[1]);
         }
-#ifdef WIN32
+#ifdef U_MAKE_IS_NMAKE
         else {
             fprintf(stderr, "Warning: You are using the deprecated -O option\n"
                             "\tYou can fix this warning by installing pkgdata, gencmn and genccode\n"
@@ -287,7 +287,7 @@ main(int argc, char* argv[]) {
     }
 
     o.verbose   = options[5].doesOccur;
-#ifdef WIN32 /* format is R:pathtoICU or D:pathtoICU */
+#ifdef U_MAKE_IS_NMAKE /* format is R:pathtoICU or D:pathtoICU */
     {
         char *pathstuff = (char *)options[1].value;
         if(options[1].value[uprv_strlen(options[1].value)-1] == '\\') {
diff --git a/icu4c/source/tools/pkgdata/sttcmode.c b/icu4c/source/tools/pkgdata/sttcmode.c
index a52a703cdac..5e3fd32fd42 100644
--- a/icu4c/source/tools/pkgdata/sttcmode.c
+++ b/icu4c/source/tools/pkgdata/sttcmode.c
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ void pkg_sttc_writeReadme(struct UPKGOptions_ *o, const char *libName, UErrorCod
 }
 
 
-#ifndef WIN32
+#ifndef U_MAKE_IS_NMAKE
 
 
 #include "makefile.h"
diff --git a/icu4c/source/tools/pkgdata/winmode.c b/icu4c/source/tools/pkgdata/winmode.c
index fa650cedd33..11e922cabd2 100644
--- a/icu4c/source/tools/pkgdata/winmode.c
+++ b/icu4c/source/tools/pkgdata/winmode.c
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
 
 #include "unicode/utypes.h"
 
-#ifdef WIN32
+#ifdef U_MAKE_IS_NMAKE
 
 #include "unicode/putil.h"
 #include "cmemory.h"