diff --git a/icu4c/source/i18n/double-conversion.h b/icu4c/source/i18n/double-conversion.h
index 1857615141..377c710bf7 100644
--- a/icu4c/source/i18n/double-conversion.h
+++ b/icu4c/source/i18n/double-conversion.h
@@ -544,9 +544,7 @@ class StringToDoubleConverter {
         junk_string_value_(junk_string_value),
         infinity_symbol_(infinity_symbol),
         nan_symbol_(nan_symbol),
-        // ICU PATCH: Convert the u16 to a char.
-        // This patch should be removed when upstream #89 is fixed.
-        separator_(static_cast<char>(separator)) {
+        separator_(separator) {
   }
 
   // Performs the conversion.
@@ -581,10 +579,7 @@ class StringToDoubleConverter {
   const double junk_string_value_;
   const char* const infinity_symbol_;
   const char* const nan_symbol_;
-
-  // ICU PATCH: Avoid warnings by making this a char instead of a u16.
-  // This patch should be removed when upstream #89 is fixed.
-  const char separator_;
+  const uc16 separator_;
 
   template <class Iterator>
   double StringToIeee(Iterator start_pointer,