diff --git a/icu4c/source/io/uprntf_p.c b/icu4c/source/io/uprntf_p.c
index 4facd6cc13a..6f6531efea6 100644
--- a/icu4c/source/io/uprntf_p.c
+++ b/icu4c/source/io/uprntf_p.c
@@ -260,16 +260,9 @@ u_printf_char_handler(const u_printf_stream_handler  *handler,
 
     /* width = minimum # of characters to write */
     /* precision = maximum # of characters to write */
+    /* precision is ignored when handling a char */
 
-    /* precision takes precedence over width */
-    /* determine if the string should be truncated */
-    if(info->fPrecision != -1 && len > info->fPrecision) {
-        written = handler->write(context, s, info->fPrecision);
-    }
-    else {
-        /* determine if the string should be padded */
-        written = handler->pad_and_justify(context, info, s, len);
-    }
+    written = handler->pad_and_justify(context, info, s, len);
 
     return written;
 }
@@ -781,20 +774,12 @@ u_printf_uchar_handler(const u_printf_stream_handler  *handler,
     int32_t written = 0;
     UChar arg = (UChar)(args[0].int64Value);
 
-
     /* width = minimum # of characters to write */
     /* precision = maximum # of characters to write */
+    /* precision is ignored when handling a uchar */
 
-    /* precision takes precedence over width */
-    /* determine if the char should be printed */
-    if(info->fPrecision != -1 && info->fPrecision < 1) {
-        /* write nothing */
-        written = 0;
-    }
-    else {
-        /* determine if the string should be padded */
-        written = handler->pad_and_justify(context, info, &arg, 1);
-    }
+    /* determine if the string should be padded */
+    written = handler->pad_and_justify(context, info, &arg, 1);
 
     return written;
 }
diff --git a/icu4c/source/test/iotest/filetst.c b/icu4c/source/test/iotest/filetst.c
index 4f8d0bcad5c..8585c8a93fd 100644
--- a/icu4c/source/test/iotest/filetst.c
+++ b/icu4c/source/test/iotest/filetst.c
@@ -1083,9 +1083,13 @@ static void TestFprintfFormat(void) {
 
     TestFPrintFormat("%8c", (char)'e', "%8c", (char)'e');
     TestFPrintFormat("%-8c", (char)'e', "%-8c", (char)'e');
+    TestFPrintFormat("%5.3c", (char)'e', "%5.3c", (char)'e');
+    TestFPrintFormat("%-5.3c", (char)'e', "%-5.3c", (char)'e');
 
     TestFPrintFormat("%8C", (UChar)0x65, "%8c", (char)'e');
     TestFPrintFormat("%-8C", (UChar)0x65, "%-8c", (char)'e');
+    TestFPrintFormat("%5.3C", (UChar)0x65, "%5.3c", (char)'e');
+    TestFPrintFormat("%-5.3C", (UChar)0x65, "%-5.3c", (char)'e');
 
     TestFPrintFormat("%f", 1.23456789, "%f", 1.23456789);
     TestFPrintFormat("%f", 12345.6789, "%f", 12345.6789);
diff --git a/icu4c/source/test/iotest/strtst.c b/icu4c/source/test/iotest/strtst.c
index 906f519d3c2..9bc6423906a 100644
--- a/icu4c/source/test/iotest/strtst.c
+++ b/icu4c/source/test/iotest/strtst.c
@@ -391,9 +391,13 @@ static void TestSprintfFormat(void) {
 
     TestSPrintFormat("%8c", (char)'e', "%8c", (char)'e');
     TestSPrintFormat("%-8c", (char)'e', "%-8c", (char)'e');
+    TestSPrintFormat("%5.3c", (char)'e', "%5.3c", (char)'e');
+    TestSPrintFormat("%-5.3c", (char)'e', "%-5.3c", (char)'e');
 
     TestSPrintFormat("%8C", (UChar)0x65, "%8c", (char)'e');
     TestSPrintFormat("%-8C", (UChar)0x65, "%-8c", (char)'e');
+    TestSPrintFormat("%5.3C", (UChar)0x65, "%5.3c", (char)'e');
+    TestSPrintFormat("%-5.3C", (UChar)0x65, "%-5.3c", (char)'e');
 
     TestSPrintFormat("%f", 1.23456789, "%f", 1.23456789);
     TestSPrintFormat("%f", 12345.6789, "%f", 12345.6789);
diff --git a/icu4c/source/test/testdata/icuio.txt b/icu4c/source/test/testdata/icuio.txt
index 621cec6d16d..e83fb3d5461 100644
--- a/icu4c/source/test/testdata/icuio.txt
+++ b/icu4c/source/test/testdata/icuio.txt
@@ -48,6 +48,9 @@ icuio {
                 { "%-5.3s", "abc  ", "s", "abcdef" }
                 { "%5.3s", "    a", "s", "a" }
                 { "%-5.3s", "a    ", "s", "a" }
+                { "%5.3C", "    a", "2", "61" }
+                { "%-5.3C", "a    ", "2", "61" }
+                { "%-5.0C", "a    ", "2", "61" } // Make sure that the precision is ignored.
                 { "%.3P", "120.000%", "d", "1.2" }
                 { "%.0P", "120%", "d", "1.2" }
                 { "%.3P", "1.200%", "d", "0.012" }