diff --git a/icu4j/main/classes/core/src/com/ibm/icu/text/DecimalFormat.java b/icu4j/main/classes/core/src/com/ibm/icu/text/DecimalFormat.java
index 3b14806aab..90934ed4a4 100644
--- a/icu4j/main/classes/core/src/com/ibm/icu/text/DecimalFormat.java
+++ b/icu4j/main/classes/core/src/com/ibm/icu/text/DecimalFormat.java
@@ -1206,7 +1206,7 @@ public class DecimalFormat extends NumberFormat {
         // }
 
         int i;
-        char [] digits = symbols.getDigits();
+        char [] digits = symbols.getDigitsLocal();
         
         char grouping = currencySignCount > 0 ? symbols.getMonetaryGroupingSeparator() :
             symbols.getGroupingSeparator();
@@ -2118,7 +2118,7 @@ public class DecimalFormat extends NumberFormat {
             // DigitList, and adjust the exponent as needed.
 
             digits.decimalAt = digits.count = 0;
-            char [] digitSymbols = symbols.getDigits();
+            char [] digitSymbols = symbols.getDigitsLocal();
             char decimal = currencySignCount > 0 ? symbols.getMonetaryDecimalSeparator() : symbols
                     .getDecimalSeparator();
             char grouping = symbols.getGroupingSeparator();
diff --git a/icu4j/main/classes/core/src/com/ibm/icu/text/DecimalFormatSymbols.java b/icu4j/main/classes/core/src/com/ibm/icu/text/DecimalFormatSymbols.java
index 0d87e9d485..2d378dac62 100644
--- a/icu4j/main/classes/core/src/com/ibm/icu/text/DecimalFormatSymbols.java
+++ b/icu4j/main/classes/core/src/com/ibm/icu/text/DecimalFormatSymbols.java
@@ -184,6 +184,23 @@ public class DecimalFormatSymbols implements Cloneable, Serializable {
             return digitArray;
         }
     }
+    
+    /**
+     * Returns the array of characters used as digits, in order from 0 through 9
+     * Package private method - don't need to defensively copy.
+     * @return The array
+     */
+    char[] getDigitsLocal() {
+        if ( digits != null ) {
+            return digits;
+        } else {
+            char [] digitArray = new char[10];
+            for ( int i = 0 ; i < 10 ; i++ ) {
+                digitArray[i] = (char) (zeroDigit + i);
+            }
+            return digitArray;
+        }
+    }
 
     /**
      * Sets the character used for zero.