diff --git a/icu4c/source/test/cintltst/creststn.c b/icu4c/source/test/cintltst/creststn.c
index 7ad144a7fc0..d47ed10084c 100644
--- a/icu4c/source/test/cintltst/creststn.c
+++ b/icu4c/source/test/cintltst/creststn.c
@@ -1744,7 +1744,7 @@ static void TestResourceLevelAliasing(void) {
   } else {
     status = U_ZERO_ERROR;
   }
-  if((tb == NULL) || U_FAILURE(status) ) {
+  if(U_FAILURE(status) ) {
     log_data_err("err loading tb resource\n");
   }  else {
     /* testing aliasing to a non existing resource */