diff --git a/icu4c/source/test/letest/Makefile.in b/icu4c/source/test/letest/Makefile.in
index 813bd462dbf..6c1eb8e481f 100644
--- a/icu4c/source/test/letest/Makefile.in
+++ b/icu4c/source/test/letest/Makefile.in
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ BUILDDIR := $(BUILDDIR:TEST\\CINTLTST/../../=)
 
 CPPFLAGS += -I$(top_srcdir)/common -I$(top_srcdir)/i18n -I$(top_srcdir)/tools/ctestfw -I$(top_srcdir)/tools/toolutil -I$(top_srcdir)/layout -I$(top_srcdir)/layoutex -I$(top_srcdir)
 DEFS += -D'U_TOPSRCDIR="$(top_srcdir)/"' -D'U_TOPBUILDDIR="$(BUILDDIR)"'
-LIBS = $(LIBICULX) $(LIBICULE) $(LIBICUUC) $(LIBICUI18N) $(LIBCTESTFW) $(LIBICUTOOLUTIL) @LIBS@ @LIB_M@
+LIBS = $(LIBICULX) $(LIBICULE) $(LIBICUUC) $(LIBICUI18N) $(LIBCTESTFW) $(LIBICUTOOLUTIL) $(DEFAULT_LIBS) $(LIB_M) 
 
 COMMONOBJECTS = letsutil.o cmaps.o FontTableCache.o SimpleFontInstance.o PortableFontInstance.o
 TESTOBJECTS   = letest.o
@@ -85,11 +85,11 @@ Makefile: $(srcdir)/Makefile.in  $(top_builddir)/config.status
 	 && CONFIG_FILES=$(subdir)/$@ CONFIG_HEADERS= $(SHELL) ./config.status
 
 $(TESTTARGET) : $(COMMONOBJECTS) $(TESTOBJECTS) $(CTESTOBJECTS)
-	$(LINK.cc) -o $@ $^ $(LIBS)
+	$(LINK.cc) $(OUTOPT)$@ $^ $(LIBS)
 	$(POST_BUILD_STEP)
 
 $(GENTARGET) : $(COMMONOBJECTS) $(GENOBJECTS)
-	$(LINK.cc) -o $@ $^ $(LIBS)
+	$(LINK.cc) $(OUTOPT)$@ $^ $(LIBS)
 	$(POST_BUILD_STEP)
 
 invoke: