diff --git a/icu4c/source/common/putil.c b/icu4c/source/common/putil.c
index 1aa818df106..8eed1914cd6 100644
--- a/icu4c/source/common/putil.c
+++ b/icu4c/source/common/putil.c
@@ -820,12 +820,6 @@ u_setDataDirectory(const char *directory) {
     }
 }
 
-#if HAVE_DLOPEN
-#define LIB_PREFIX "lib"
-#else
-#define LIB_PREFIX
-#endif
-
 U_CAPI const char * U_EXPORT2
 u_getDataDirectory(void) {
     const char *path = NULL;