diff --git a/icu4c/source/data/Makefile.in b/icu4c/source/data/Makefile.in
index 90b07fbd33..0c3224e699 100644
--- a/icu4c/source/data/Makefile.in
+++ b/icu4c/source/data/Makefile.in
@@ -345,7 +345,7 @@ $(PKGDATA_LIST): $(SRCLISTDEPS)
 	done;
 else
 build-local: build-dir $(SO_VERSION_DATA) $(PKGDATA_LIST) $(OS390LIST)
-$(PKGDATA_LIST): $(SRCLISTDEPS) $(ICUDATA_SOURCE_ARCHIVE) $(MAINBUILDDIR)
+$(PKGDATA_LIST): $(SRCLISTDEPS) $(ICUDATA_SOURCE_ARCHIVE)
 ifneq ($(ICUDATA_SOURCE_IS_NATIVE_TARGET),YES)
 	@echo "Unpacking $(ICUDATA_SOURCE_ARCHIVE) and generating $@ (list of data files)"
 	@-$(RMV) $@