diff --git a/icu4c/source/tools/mkhelper/mkhelper.dsp b/icu4c/source/tools/mkhelper/mkhelper.dsp
index 63381da40ed..d4871327605 100644
--- a/icu4c/source/tools/mkhelper/mkhelper.dsp
+++ b/icu4c/source/tools/mkhelper/mkhelper.dsp
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ RSC=rc.exe
 # PROP Intermediate_Dir "Release"
 # PROP Target_Dir ""
 # ADD BASE CPP /nologo /W3 /GX /O2 /D "WIN32" /D "NDEBUG" /D "_CONSOLE" /D "_MBCS" /YX /FD /c
-# ADD CPP /nologo /W3 /GX /O2 /I "..\..\common" /D "WIN32" /D "NDEBUG" /D "_CONSOLE" /D "_MBCS" /YX /FD /c
+# ADD CPP /nologo /MD /W3 /GX /O2 /I "..\..\common" /D "WIN32" /D "NDEBUG" /D "_CONSOLE" /D "_MBCS" /YX /FD /c
 # ADD BASE RSC /l 0x409 /d "NDEBUG"
 # ADD RSC /l 0x409 /d "NDEBUG"
 BSC32=bscmake.exe
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ LINK32=link.exe
 # PROP Intermediate_Dir "Debug"
 # PROP Target_Dir ""
 # ADD BASE CPP /nologo /W3 /Gm /GX /ZI /Od /D "WIN32" /D "_DEBUG" /D "_CONSOLE" /D "_MBCS" /YX /FD /GZ /c
-# ADD CPP /nologo /W3 /Gm /GX /ZI /Od /I "..\..\common" /D "WIN32" /D "_DEBUG" /D "_CONSOLE" /D "_MBCS" /YX /FD /GZ /c
+# ADD CPP /nologo /MDd /W3 /Gm /GX /ZI /Od /I "..\..\common" /D "WIN32" /D "_DEBUG" /D "_CONSOLE" /D "_MBCS" /YX /FD /GZ /c
 # ADD BASE RSC /l 0x409 /d "_DEBUG"
 # ADD RSC /l 0x409 /d "_DEBUG"
 BSC32=bscmake.exe