diff --git a/icu4c/source/layoutex/layout/playout.h b/icu4c/source/layoutex/layout/playout.h
index f6321314f1..8824d9bfa2 100644
--- a/icu4c/source/layoutex/layout/playout.h
+++ b/icu4c/source/layoutex/layout/playout.h
@@ -7,7 +7,13 @@
 #ifndef __PLAYOUT_H
 #define __PLAYOUT_H
 
+/*
+ * ParagraphLayout doesn't make much sense without
+ * BreakIterator...
+ */
 #include "unicode/ubidi.h"
+#if ! UCONFIG_NO_BREAK_ITERATION
+
 #include "layout/LETypes.h"
 #include "plruns.h"
 
@@ -456,3 +462,4 @@ U_DRAFT le_int32 U_EXPORT2
 pl_getVisualRunLeading(const pl_visualRun *run);
 
 #endif
+#endif
diff --git a/icu4c/source/layoutex/playout.cpp b/icu4c/source/layoutex/playout.cpp
index bcfd475c58..f1c167ea3e 100644
--- a/icu4c/source/layoutex/playout.cpp
+++ b/icu4c/source/layoutex/playout.cpp
@@ -4,6 +4,10 @@
  *
  */
 
+/*
+ * paragraphLayout doesn't make much sense without
+ * BreakIterator...
+ */
 #include "layout/LETypes.h"
 #include "layout/loengine.h"
 #include "layout/plruns.h"
@@ -14,6 +18,8 @@
 #include "layout/LayoutEngine.h"
 #include "layout/ParagraphLayout.h"
 
+#if ! UCONFIG_NO_BREAK_ITERATION
+
 U_NAMESPACE_USE
 
 U_CAPI pl_paragraph * U_EXPORT2
@@ -321,3 +327,4 @@ pl_getVisualRunLeading(const pl_visualRun *run)
     return vr->getLeading();
 }
 
+#endif