diff --git a/icu4c/source/tools/pkgdata/pkgdata.c b/icu4c/source/tools/pkgdata/pkgdata.c
index e05b44f7130..a89a6c74554 100644
--- a/icu4c/source/tools/pkgdata/pkgdata.c
+++ b/icu4c/source/tools/pkgdata/pkgdata.c
@@ -341,7 +341,7 @@ main(int argc, const char *argv[]) {
     if(rc < 0) {
       fprintf(stderr, "# Failed, rc=%d\n", rc);
     }
-    return rc;
+    return rc < 128 ? rc : (rc >> 8);
   }
 
   return 0;