diff --git a/icu4c/source/config/mh-cygwin-msvc b/icu4c/source/config/mh-cygwin-msvc
index bb14bad3d49..636537b4f51 100644
--- a/icu4c/source/config/mh-cygwin-msvc
+++ b/icu4c/source/config/mh-cygwin-msvc
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ LDFLAGSICUTOOLUTIL=	/base:"0x4ac00000"# Same as layout. Layout and tools probabl
 
 # The #M# is used to delete lines for icu-config
 # Current full path directory.
-CURR_FULL_DIR=$(shell cygpath -dma .)#M#
+CURR_FULL_DIR=$(subst \,/,$(shell cygpath -da .))#M# -m isn't used because it doesn't work on Win98
 # Current full path directory for use in source code in a -D compiler option.
 CURR_SRCCODE_FULL_DIR=$(subst \,\\\\,$(shell cygpath -da .))#M#