diff --git a/icu4c/source/common/rbbirb.cpp b/icu4c/source/common/rbbirb.cpp
index 5e015c9b271e..4fd789970cc0 100644
--- a/icu4c/source/common/rbbirb.cpp
+++ b/icu4c/source/common/rbbirb.cpp
@@ -182,12 +182,12 @@ RBBIDataHeader *RBBIRuleBuilder::flattenData() {
     }
 #endif
 
-    RBBIDataHeader* data = static_cast<RBBIDataHeader*>(uprv_malloc(totalSize));
-    if (data == nullptr) {
+    LocalMemory<RBBIDataHeader> data(static_cast<RBBIDataHeader*>(uprv_malloc(totalSize)));
+    if (data.isNull()) {
         *fStatus = U_MEMORY_ALLOCATION_ERROR;
         return nullptr;
     }
-    uprv_memset(data, 0, totalSize);
+    uprv_memset(data.getAlias(), 0, totalSize);
 
 
     data->fMagic            = 0xb1a0;
@@ -213,23 +213,23 @@ RBBIDataHeader *RBBIRuleBuilder::flattenData() {
 
     uprv_memset(data->fReserved, 0, sizeof(data->fReserved));
 
-    fForwardTable->exportTable(reinterpret_cast<uint8_t*>(data) + data->fFTable);
-    fForwardTable->exportSafeTable(reinterpret_cast<uint8_t*>(data) + data->fRTable);
-    fSetBuilder->serializeTrie(reinterpret_cast<uint8_t*>(data) + data->fTrie);
+    fForwardTable->exportTable(reinterpret_cast<uint8_t*>(data.getAlias()) + data->fFTable);
+    fForwardTable->exportSafeTable(reinterpret_cast<uint8_t*>(data.getAlias()) + data->fRTable);
+    fSetBuilder->serializeTrie(reinterpret_cast<uint8_t*>(data.getAlias()) + data->fTrie);
 
-    int32_t* ruleStatusTable = reinterpret_cast<int32_t*>(reinterpret_cast<uint8_t*>(data) + data->fStatusTable);
+    int32_t* ruleStatusTable = reinterpret_cast<int32_t*>(reinterpret_cast<uint8_t*>(data.getAlias()) + data->fStatusTable);
     for (i=0; i<fRuleStatusVals->size(); i++) {
         ruleStatusTable[i] = fRuleStatusVals->elementAti(i);
     }
 
-    u_strToUTF8WithSub(reinterpret_cast<char*>(data) + data->fRuleSource, rulesSize, &rulesLengthInUTF8,
+    u_strToUTF8WithSub(reinterpret_cast<char*>(data.getAlias()) + data->fRuleSource, rulesSize, &rulesLengthInUTF8,
                        fStrippedRules.getBuffer(), fStrippedRules.length(),
                        0xfffd, nullptr, fStatus);
     if (U_FAILURE(*fStatus)) {
         return nullptr;
     }
 
-    return data;
+    return data.orphan();
 }