diff --git a/icu4j/main/core/src/test/java/com/ibm/icu/dev/test/util/LocaleMatcherTest.java b/icu4j/main/core/src/test/java/com/ibm/icu/dev/test/util/LocaleMatcherTest.java
index 58e0c9650ad1..e076b8fbd80a 100644
--- a/icu4j/main/core/src/test/java/com/ibm/icu/dev/test/util/LocaleMatcherTest.java
+++ b/icu4j/main/core/src/test/java/com/ibm/icu/dev/test/util/LocaleMatcherTest.java
@@ -569,8 +569,8 @@ private void check2(Set<ULocale> sorted) {
     @Test
     public void testAsymmetry() {
         LocaleMatcher matcher;
-        matcher = new LocaleMatcher("mul, nl");
-        assertEquals("mul", matcher.getBestMatch("af").toString()); // af => nl
+        matcher = new LocaleMatcher("mul, de");
+        assertEquals("de", matcher.getBestMatch("gsw").toString()); // af => nl
 
         matcher = new LocaleMatcher("mul, af");
         assertEquals("mul", matcher.getBestMatch("nl").toString()); // but nl !=> af