diff --git a/icu4c/source/test/intltest/transtst.cpp b/icu4c/source/test/intltest/transtst.cpp
index f6f803eb1e..42d71f0cc5 100644
--- a/icu4c/source/test/intltest/transtst.cpp
+++ b/icu4c/source/test/intltest/transtst.cpp
@@ -205,8 +205,10 @@ void TransliteratorTest::TestInstantiation() {
     UnicodeString name;
     for (int32_t i=0; i<n; ++i) {
         const UnicodeString& id = *avail->snext(ec);
-        assertSuccess("snext()", ec);
-        assertTrue("snext()!=NULL", (&id)!=NULL, TRUE);
+        if (!assertSuccess("snext()", ec) ||
+            !assertTrue("snext()!=NULL", (&id)!=NULL, TRUE)) {
+            break;
+        }
         UnicodeString id2 = Transliterator::getAvailableID(i);
         if (id.length() < 1) {
             errln(UnicodeString("FAIL: getAvailableID(") +